SailorMoon Crystal Generation
by Ame Yumeko
Summary: When a pair of thieves steal Endymion's crystal, Chibiusa is forced to step up as the next Sailor Moon. Joined by the Sailor Quartet and the mysterious Pegasus Kamen, she fights for Crystal Tokyo's future. But what sort of future will that be? C/P & C/He
1. Prologue: The Ashes of Roses

A/N: Hello! You've stumbled upon Yume's biggest fanfic project, SailorMoon Crystal Generation. It's based on the manga version of SailorMoon and follows the adventures of the next generation of senshi: Chibiusa, Hotaru, and the Sailor Quartet. I know some of you are probably thinking, "not another Neo Senshi story!" True, the premise has been done before, but I like to think this one still has a few twists that will surprise you.

I promise the canon cast is in this, and they will be the main focus. If you don't care about OCs, go ahead and skip to the next chapter... but a few things that happen in the prologue might become important later. :3

If you like it, please take a moment to leave a review! I appreciate feedback very much; it helps me improve. Even if it's just to say "nice story" or "that chapter sucked" I'll be thankful for it. (And feel free to make suggestions on what should happen next!)

* * *

**Prologue**

"_Papa! Mamaaaa!_"

A young girl, no more than nine, cried out in despair. Her face, streaked with tears and dirt, contorted with frustration as she squinted through the smoke that filled the room. She stumbled forward, treading on the tatters of her elegant gown, and tried to ignore the pain of the bleeding gash on her forehead. "Where are you? Papa? Mama! Help me!"

A wall of fire flared up in front of her, and she drew back from the searing heat. Through the flames, she could vaguely make out the outline of two bodies lying on the ground. She faltered, suddenly feeling that she didn't want to see their faces.

From above, a menacing laugh rang out. She looked up and saw a figure dressed in billowing white robes hovering above the carnage. The choking black smoke served only to make him more brilliant by contrast. He was beautiful, but his beauty was horrifying, the magnificence of a fallen angel. His eyes were the worst. Indeed he seemed to have no eyes at all; only blinding, cruel light spilled forth from where they should have been. They narrowed at her in a cold sneer as he gathered a ball of white fire in his hands. She could only watch, transfixed, as he readied the final blow.

"Nooo!" she screamed at the last second. _"I don't want to die!_"

Suddenly another light, equal in brilliance, sprang up from the rubble. The white-robed man recoiled in shock. With a tremendous blast, the flames were driven back, and a crystal flower appeared. The light that surrounded it was warm and gentle. It seemed to pulse along with her own heartbeat as it settled into her small palms.

"Mama...?"

A sudden, glorious rage filled her and she rose to her feet, standing tall. She looked straight into his hollow eyes without flinching, and pointed an accusing finger at him.

"You! Don't think you can just do as you please to our kingdom! A tyrant like you must be punished! I am Princess Rose! With the power of this crystal, I will make you pay for what you have done!"

Her tirade was simplistic at best, but her voice was strong and regal. And the power that exploded from the crystal in her hands was real enough. The light surged forward in a single brilliant beam, streaking toward her opponent. But to her surprise, a bright golden aura surrounded him, and an equally strong ray of light smashed into hers. It was then that she saw the pendant hanging around his neck, a delicate flower of gold-tinted glass.

_A crystal!_

Rose felt her power draining away, but she forced herself to channel even more. She _would_ defeat him.

"Rose," the man muttered. "So they named you Rose after all..."

They kept struggling, deadlocked, until exhaustion began to wear the young girl down. She gritted her teeth, tears streaming down her dirt-smudged face. "N-no..." she gasped. "I won't lose! I can't lo—aah!"

Her words became a cry of despair as her strength gave out. The light of her crystal flickered and died, and moments later the golden beam smashed into her chest. Rose screamed as agony tore through her small body. Golden light was pouring into her eyes, filling her mind and dissolving her soul. She writhed in terror and pain, but there was nothing she could do as the sorcerer's power ripped her apart.

Abruptly, the pain stopped, and Rose fell to the ground. For a moment she could only lay there trembling. When she managed to open her eyes again, she saw the dim outline of a tall, dark-haired woman standing between her and the man. The woman was holding out her hand in a commanding gesture, and a pulsing wall of shadow was driving back the onslaught of golden energy.

The man drew back, startled at her sudden appearance. "You..." he breathed, staring at the stranger.

The woman did not acknowledge him, but knelt at the princess' side with a gentle, pitying smile.

"Are you all right?" she asked in a smooth, velvety voice.

Rose sat up shakily, pain still lingering in her limbs. "Yes, thank you..." she quavered. She looked up and saw her rescuer's face for the first time. The woman looked beautiful and noble, about the same age as her mother, Rose thought. Her eyes were the color of fine silver, and shone in the dark like a cat's. Rose could see her own face reflected in them, and she realized for the first time how disheveled she looked.

Suddenly she realized that the man had summoned another fireball, and she cried out in fear. The dark-haired woman didn't even turn around, but calmly held up a hand and whispered something. A shadowy dome formed around them, deflecting the attack.

"Who are you?" Rose asked, a little frightened at the woman's power.

"My name is Erebus," the woman replied. "Now, Rose! We have to defeat this wicked man! I need your help."

"Me!" Rose asked incredulously. "I can't beat him! He overpowered me so easily! If you hadn't been here—"

"Shh." Erebus put a finger to her lips in a hushing gesture. "You can do it, Rose. That crystal you have has a wonderful power, if you learn to use it. You can do anything you want."

The princess hesitated, realizing that it was odd that the woman seemed to know her name. That, and the way she had suddenly appeared, seemed a little suspicious. But Erebus had helped her, and she seemed nice enough.

"Believe in yourself, Rose," Erebus urged. "You can still save your kingdom!"

"Will you help me?" the girl asked.

"Of course."

"...All right."

Rose stood, holding her crystal high. The pendant at the man's neck glowed, and another golden beam shot toward her. Again their magic collided, and the little girl staggered, feeling light-headed. But Erebus caught her and placed her hands on Rose's shoulders. Her touch was cool and soothing, and Rose felt her strength returning. She felt a prickling on her skin and realized that her own hands were now surrounded by a shadowy aura. But she ignored it and willed the crystal to give her more power.

The beam tore through the man's attack and struck him in the chest. He screamed in pain, and she smiled with grim satisfaction.

_How do you like it! _she thought.

"Yes," the woman crooned in her ear. "Use all of your emotion. That crystal responds to your heart. Hate him, and change it into strength!"

A raw scream tore from her throat, and the crystal responded with a surge of power that made even the brilliance of the sorcerer's magic seem dim and feeble. The light grew stronger and stronger until she could no longer see. From a distance, she heard his final tortured scream. It made her skin crawl, but she savored it.

* * *

When the light faded, the white-robed sorcerer was gone, and a few feathers settled on top of the smoking rubble. The air began to clear as a cold wind picked up. Rose was leaning against Erebus' shoulder, exhausted.

After a moment, she stood and made her way across the room. Her eyes were fixed on something small and pale that stuck out from a nearby pile of twisted metal. As her vision cleared, she could see that it was a woman's slender hand. She wanted to look away, but her feet carried her closer. Now she could see another hand, a man's, and the edge of a tattered violet sleeve.

"No..."

Rose stopped and knelt down, tugging at the man's hand. It was cold. She crawled over to the other, placing it against her cheek. Something hard brushed her face. She looked, already knowing what she would see. It was her mother's wedding ring.

_"Nooooooo! Papa! Mamaaaaaaaa!"_

She kept screaming, tugging at the stiff arm as if she could will life back into it. When she could no longer bear to look at it, she staggered to her feet. Choking on her sobs, she turned and ran a few steps, then collapsed in a miserable heap. Erebus stood beside her, watching silently.

"Erebus!" Rose cried suddenly, glaring angrily at the woman. "You promised! You said I'd be able to save them!" She lunged forward and shoved Erebus as hard as she was able. Erebus allowed herself to be pushed back, and continued to look at her sympathetically. Rose tried to shove her again but instead collapsed into her arms, and her words dissolved into incomprehensible sobs.

"There, there," Erebus murmured, stroking the young princess' hair. "You needn't cry. I can fix all of this."

"You can?" Rose asked in a tiny voice.

"Yes. I can make it so that all of these horrible things never happened..."

"Do it, Erebus! Bring Mama and Papa back!"

"I will," Erebus reassured her. "But first, I need two things."

"What?" Rose demanded. "I'll give them to you! Anything!"

"Well, first of all I'll need to borrow the power of that crystal you have. And next, I will need the power of the Golden Crystal."

"The Golden Crystal?" Rose repeated. "What's that? How do we get it?"

"We have to travel far away from here, across space and time," Erebus said slowly, trying not to scare her.

"I don't want to go anywhere!" Rose whimpered. "I want my parents back! I want it to go back to how it was!"

The woman laid a stern hand on her shoulder. "In due time. I can make it all come back, if you like. But in order to do that, I need you to help me."

The young girl started to sob again, and Erebus sighed impatiently.

"Look around yourself, child. Where else will you go?"

Rose dried her eyes and looked up. They were standing in what had been her mother's prized rose garden. The force of the blast had leveled the nearest beds, and now the fire had begun to eat away at the rest. She watched, strangely fascinated, as the flames wrapped around a young bud. It shriveled and darkened, turning black, then was consumed in bright glow, and finally began to flake off in small grey flecks that drifted away in the shimmering air. All around was nothing but the scent of burning flowers, and the ashes of roses.

She reached out and took Erebus' hand. "Let's go."

Erebus smiled, a syrupy, knowing smile. "Excellent."


	2. Soldier of the New Century, SailorMoon

**Chapter 1: Soldier of the New Century, Sailor Moon**

"Small Lady! Wake up! You'll be late!"

Neo Queen Serenity tapped lightly on her daughter's bedroom door. She listened for a moment and, hearing no response, knocked again.

"Come on, Small Lady!"

"Ah, Serenity..." her husband began.

"Not now, Endymion. I have to wake our daughter up or she'll be late for her first day. Small Lady!" Serenity pounded on the door rather unceremoniously.

"But-"

"Small Lady!" Serenity shouted, ignoring him. "I know you can hear me! _Small Lady!_"

Endymion took a deep breath, forcing his voice to remain even. "Serenity, she's already downstairs. She was up before we were."

"Eeeh?" Serenity squeaked, looking embarrassed. "Really?"

"Actually, we were waiting on you so we could start breakfast."

"Goodness, dear, you should've said something." Serenity cleared her throat and took the arm he offered her. "Well, then, shall we?"

She was startled when he suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.

"E-endymion?"

"Usa," he murmured, "don't ever change."

She smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around his neck. He rarely used the old nickname anymore, only in those private moments when she reminded him (often accidentally) that beneath their royal garb, they were still the same couple who had fallen in love a millennium ago. "Mamo-chan," she whispered.

She smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Mamo-chan," she whispered.

"I'm getting kind of _hungry_ down here!" an indignant voice called from the bottom of the stairs. Chibiusa was standing there tapping her foot impatiently.

Endymion smiled and clasped his wife's hand. "Want some breakfast?"

"Honestly, Endymion, what kind of a question is that?"

* * *

"Gochisousama deshita!" Chibiusa said cheerfully, setting down her bowl. She rose, slung her rabbit-shaped bag over her shoulder, and smoothed her pleated skirt before bowing to her parents. "Looks like I'd better get going."

Serenity gave her a gentle smile. "Small Lady, I just want you to know how happy we are that you've decided to enter the public schools rather than continue your private tutoring. As a princess, it's important for you to have contact with your future subjects and understand the current events." Even as she spoke, Serenity marveled at the change in her daughter. In the past ten years, Chibiusa had grown from a spindly child into a beautiful young woman. Now she was taller than her mother, and her cute charm had been replaced by genuine beauty. Serenity resisted the urge to straighten the bow on the red and white school uniform, knowing that it was unnecessary.

Chibiusa nodded solemnly. She paused for a moment, thinking, then spoke up hesitantly. "Mama?"

"Yes, Small Lady?"

"Um... that is..." She shuffled nervously. "I've been thinking. I've finally gotten bigger, so could you not call me Small Lady anymore?"

There was a long silence as that sank in. Finally, Serenity cleared her throat. "Well, then! What shall we call you?" she asked, sounding just a bit too cheerful. "Since you're not small, is it just 'Lady'?"

Chibiusa hesitated. _After all the times I've longed for them to call me 'Lady'..._

"Actually, I'm not much of a lady," she admitted.

"Of course you are," Endymion reassured her. "You're becoming more ladylike every day."

She smiled but shook her head. "Still, it doesn't feel right." _Not yet,_ she thought. _Not until I've fulfilled all of my dreams._

Serenity thought for a second. "Well then, how about calling you Usagi?"

"Usagi..." Chibiusa repeated, then sighed. "I can't be Usagi. Because that name will always mean that clutzy, air-headed Usagi of the past." She sniffed indignantly. "She was always late, and got bad grades, and she couldn't cook as well as Mama! I can't have such an ill-fated name!"

Serenity looked miffed, but Endymion chuckled knowingly. "You really miss her, don't you?"

There was a long pause as Chibiusa stood staring at her feet. "Yes," she muttered at last.

Serenity sighed wistfully. "It's true, Tsukino Usagi is one person you can't meet again." She took her daughter gently by the shoulders. "But you can't keep longing for the past. Sometimes growing up means leaving things behind. Do you understand? Usagi-chan?"

The young princess was lost in thought for a second. At length she ventured a nervous smile. "Well," she said cautiously, "I guess I can be called Usagi for now."

Serenity patted her shoulder. "I think it suits you."

Then Usagi caught a glimpse of the clock and blanched. "Kyaa! Now I'm late just like that clumsy Usagi!" She sprang into motion, grabbing her bag and jamming her toes into her shoes.

"See you later!" she called over her shoulder as she scrambled out the door.

Endymion squeezed his wife's hand as they watched their daughter disappear down the road. "Serenity, you said you wanted Small La-" He caught himself. "You said you wanted Usagi to have contact with her subjects. But I don't think that was your only reason."

The queen was silent for a moment, then nodded. "You're right. I also wanted her to have a normal life... even if it's just for now."

* * *

Usagi strode quickly down the hall, her books clutched tightly over her chest. A clamor of whistles and catcalls followed her. _Honestly... the nerve of those guys!_ She glanced back briefly to shoot a glare at the rowdy group of boys who were the source of most of the teasing. Unfortunately, that only prompted even more jeers. She ducked her head, blushing furiously, and walked even faster.

"Ooh, is she mad at us?"

"Those big round eyes! She looks like the innocent type."

"Ha! I'm telling you, good girls are more fun..."

_I think I liked it better when they called me a chibi..._ Usagi thought to herself. She sighed in relief as she reached the door to her music classroom. Maybe this would provide a relaxing end of the day. She quietly slipped inside and took a seat in the back.

She sat for a few minutes, playing with a strand of hair that had fallen out of her odango buns. Across the room, a group of girls was whispering together. She paid them little heed, until one of them pointed at her and she realized she was the subject of their conversation. She pretended to be fascinated by a poster on the wall, but her ears strained to hear what they said.

"The way the boys fawn over her! It makes me sick," one of the girls said bitterly.

"Honestly!" another chimed in. "And the instructors too."

The first girl sniffed indignantly. "Everyone knows they're all just sucking up to her because she's the princess."

The chair made a horrid scraping noise on the tile floor as Usagi turned her back on the group. Everyone in the room cringed, and the princess' head sunk even lower. She felt tears stinging in her eyes. _No!_ she thought. _I won't cry. I won't give them that satisfaction!_

Luckily, at that moment the music teacher walked in, and everyone quickly straightened in their seats. Usagi wiped her eyes and sat up, forcing a smile.

"Good afternoon, Harukaze-sensei," the class chimed in unison.

The teacher smiled and beckoned them to take their seats. "Everyone, today I'm pleased to announce a very special guest!" she said in a very upbeat voice. She sounded too young to be a teacher, Usagi thought absent-mindedly.

"...Please welcome our guest instructor, Kaioh Michiru-san!"

Usagi jumped up in surprise. "Mi-Michiru-sama?" she exclaimed, wondering what could have prompted Neptune to leave her post—let alone show up at her school in civilian guise.

The aqua haired woman smiled gently. "Please take your seat, Tsukino-san," she said, her voice kind but firm.

Usagi flushed scarlet. "I'm very sorry!" she squeaked, dropping quickly back into her seat. The chair responded with another rusty screech, and Usagi felt every eye in the room fixed on her. She mentally kicked herself twice: once for making a scene, and once for nearly blowing Neptune's cover.

"See?" one of the girls whispered. "She wasn't even punished. If it was one of us she'd have been mad."

Michiru said nothing but calmly took her place in the director's chair. "Well then, let's begin," she announced. "As you might expect, I'm here to instruct you in the art of the violin." As she spoke, her delicate fingers opened the leather case in her lap and lifted out her beautifully polished instrument. Usagi stared, mesmerized by the fluid grace of her movements.

_Michiru-sama is the ideal of what a lady should be,_ she thought. _I want to be like her someday, but... Next to her, how can a clumsy person like me compare?_

She listened intently as Michiru demonstrated the proper way to hold the violin, then explained the basics of tuning. Then, unexpectedly, she walked over and held out the instrument to Usagi, who eyed it as if it might bite her. Michiru chucked, noting her expression. "It's all right. This isn't my concert one. It's an old one I keep for students." She gave the younger girl a wink. "This is the violin Hotaru learned on, you know."

Usagi nodded hesitantly and took the violin. She balanced it clumsily, trying to imitate what Michiru had done. Then she gingerly lifted the bow, careful to place her fingers correctly.

_When Hotaru played, sometimes Pegasus would appear,_ Usagi recalled. She shook her head, inwardly laughing at herself. Of course that was silly. Helios would only come if the Earth was in danger, not just to hear someone's music practice. Even if that someone may or may not have been his maiden.

But still, the thought was there.

She took a deep breath and lifted the violin. _Concentrate._ Slowly, carefully, she drew the bow across the strings. For a moment, a single perfect note filled the air, and she dared to think she saw the wispy mirage of a pegasus hovering in the corner...

Then suddenly her wrist slipped, and the strings cried out with a horrible screech. Her classmates covered their ears, and she flinched, nearly dropping the violin. On the other end of the room, someone made a small sound of disgust. The pegasus in the corner was gone. Usagi felt suddenly queasy as she handed the violin back to Michiru.

"Tsukino," Michiru said quietly. "Please see me after class."

Usagi swallowed hard and nodded. _Great... now Michiru-sama is angry at me!_

Michiru said nothing more but briskly proceeded to the next student. "Next, please. Ibuki Aya."

"Hai," the girl replied, haughtily flipping a lock of luxuriant hair over her shoulder. Usagi recognized her as one of the girls who had been gossiping about her earlier. Aya picked up the violin with practiced ease and started to play a scale. A murmur of awe rippled through the room. Even Usagi had to admit that her pitch was near perfect. She finished the scale with a flourish and began the next. Everyone listened, entranced at even such a simple performance. When she had finished, the room broke into applause. Aya giggled, looking embarrassed at all the attention, but when no one was looking she cast a smug look in Usagi's direction.

"As expected from the school belle, Aya-sama!" someone whispered.

"I hear she takes private lessons, so it's no surprise..."

"I feel bad for Tsukino-san."

Michiru quieted them with a wave of her hand. "That was excellent, Ibuki-san. Next, please..."

Usagi sighed and commenced to staring at her feet as the class dragged on.

* * *

Finally, after two agonizing hours, Usagi heard Michiru say, "That's all for today." She stayed in her seat as the rest of the students filed out of the room.

"Chibiusa-chan," Michiru called after everyone had left.

"Ah... actually, from now on it's Usagi," she said nervously as she hurried over to face Michiru.

Michiru smiled. "Well then, Usagi-chan."

She was expecting to be scolded, so it was a surprise when Michiru touched her shoulder and asked gently, "Are you having a bad day?"

"Ah, I... I'm fine!" she stammered, then quickly added, "I'm sorry about earlier! The violin is more difficult than I thought! I'll practice extra to make up for it."

"I'm sure you'll find some good friends soon," Michiru reassured her. Usagi flinched, embarrassed that the older woman had seen through her so easily.

"Michiru-san... are you really just being nice to me because I'm the princess?"

"Absolutely not," Michiru replied evenly, without hesitation. "On the contrary, Usagi-chan. More is expected of someone in your position. As the princess, you should set the standard." She eyed Usagi sternly. "So don't expect any breaks."

Usagi was quiet for a moment, then managed a shaky smile. "Thank you, Michiru-san."

Michiru rose from her chair, and Usagi bowed respectfully, then picked up her bag and turned to go.

"Oh, yes. The real reason I asked you to stay after class. I believe there's someone waiting for you," Michiru said with a little smile.

Usagi glanced toward the door, and her face lit up. "Hotaru-chan!"

Her friend stood on tiptoes and waved. "Usagi-chan! Let's walk home together!"

Usagi fell in step beside her. "But why are you wearing a school uniform?" she queried.

Hotaru gave her a cheeky grin. "It's a special assignment from the queen. I'm undercover. If you're going to public school, then so am I!" As they stepped outside, she threw up her arms and stretched, breathing in the fresh air. "Besides, I missed high school the first time around, what with the end of the world and all."

"I'm glad," said Usagi. "I thought I was going to be alone."

They reached the school gate and turned up the road torward the Crystal Palace. The sun was just setting, and it cast a rosy glow over the glistening city. They walked for a while in comfortable silence, their shadows stretching long behind them.

"You sure have gotten tall, Usagi-chan," Hotaru remarked at length. "I didn't realize it, but you're taller than the queen already."

Usagi blinked, wondering what had brought that comment on. "Um, yeah, I guess so."

"Someday you're going to rule this planet, no, the entire solar system..." Hotaru said softly. "It's strange to think about."

Usagi looked over at her and saw uneasiness in her violet eyes. She smiled as brightly as she could. "Don't worry! Even when I become a queen I'll still be your best friend!"

Hotaru said nothing, but seemed to relax a bit. Usagi reached out and took hold of her hand. Hotaru seemed surprised, but didn't pull away.

"It's just like old times."

"Yeah..."

The moment was broken by the low moan of a warning siren, and Hotaru froze in her tracks. The sound quickly grew into a piercing wail, accompanied by a bright red flare that lit up on the highest tower of the Crystal Palace. Hotaru's eyes widened, and without another word she broke into a run. A surprised Usagi followed anxiously.

"What happened?" she panted as they ran.

"A red beacon means a Level 4 Security Alert!" Hotaru replied tersely. "That means the most critical area! The ginzuishou chamber!"

Usagi gasped, then clenched Hotaru's hand tighter and sprinted ahead as fast as she could. Without another word, the two friends hurried down the street torward the ominous red beacon in the sky.

* * *

"Serenity-sama!" Hotaru called as they burst into the inner chamber, at the same time as Usagi shouted "Mama!"

The queen jumped to her feet as they entered. Worry clouded her azure eyes. "I'm glad you two returned safely," she breathed, embracing her daughter. After a moment she pulled away and placed her hands firmly on Usagi's shoulders. "Small Lady, please go up to your room now. I need to talk to Saturn."

"But Mama-"

"Not now, Small Lady." Serenity turned away, motioning to Venus, who was standing in the corner. The blond-haired senshi immediately took hold of Usagi's arm and forcibly led her from the room.

"Aww, come on, Venus! Let me go!"

Venus shook her head and kept walking. "I'm sorry, Princess. Serenity-sama wishes to keep you out of danger."

Usagi sniffed indignantly. "How can you say that? I'm a sailor senshi, aren't I?"

Venus turned, giving her one long, stern look, and Usagi found she couldn't meet the older girl's eyes. "You shouldn't have to be."

With that she set off again, leading Usagi in silence back to her room.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sailor Saturn was walking briskly at Serenity's side, headed for the crystal chamber. The queen looked more than a little frazzled.

"I can't explain it," Serenity was saying. "The crystal suddenly separated into the Silver Crystal and the Holy Moon Sword."

Saturn nodded. "And this was the weapon the senshi once used to fight the Dark Kingdom, am I correct? The sword that slew Queen Beryl?"

Serenity nodded, and Saturn saw her shudder at the memory. "After that battle the sword merged with the ginzuishou and they became complete. It's remained that way since that time. But now..." She frowned, thourougly puzzled. "And that's not all," she went on. "This is the part that really worries me. Mercury reports that someone tried to hack into our computer and shut off the shield generators, particularly the ones protecting the silver crystal chamber."

Saturn tightened her grip on the Silence Glaive. "Then someone's after the crystal?"

"It would seem that way. We're still trying to trace the hackers. Until then, I'm going to stand guard over the crystal myself."

They had reached the end of the hall, and Serenity placed her hand against a scanner on the wall. The machine emitted a high-pitched beep, and the door slid open with a soft hiss. The room beyond was all white marble, and seemed to overflow with light. In the center was an ornately carved alabaster pedestal. On top hovered a crystal flower that shone with the strongest light of all. Saturn saw a gleaming crystal sword resting at the base of the pillar.

"So that's the Moon Sword," she mused. "I wonder if this is an omen."

Serenity sighed heavily. "I don't want to think that our era of peace is ending." A wistful look came over her face. "For Usagi-chan's sake..."

* * *

Usagi was, at that moment, sulking in her bedchamber. The curtains of her canopy bed were drawn tightly shut, and she sat nestled in the plush pile of blankets, slowly squeezing the life out of a down pillow.

Across the room, Venus sighed, staring at the wall of pink brocade. "Princess, surely you must see that it's for the best. The sailor soldiers exist to protect you and the queen. So if you'll just stay here quietly..."

Usagi silently rolled her eyes at the lecture. Nearby under the covers, something squirmed. In a few moments a small furry head emerged.

The princess grinned. "Diana!" she whispered excitedly. "You've got to help me get out of here."

Diana frowned worriedly. "But Venus said-"

"I _know_ what Venus said," Usagi cut her off impatiently. "But don't you want to find out what's going on? I'm a sailor soldier too! If there's trouble I want to help everyone!"

Diana thought for a moment. "Well, if you say so..."

"...And furthermore, you've got a responsibility to your kingdom, so-" Venus broke off, noting that her charge had grown suspiciously quiet. "Hey, are you even listening to me?"

"Hai," Usagi said obediently, popping out from the curtains. "I've decided to stay here and behave, so you don't have to worry."

Venus blinked, surprised at her sudden about-face. "Really?"

Usagi smiled innocently. Venus gave her a long, scrutinizing look, then shrugged. "Well, that's good."

They sat quietly for a bit before Diana piped up, "Nee, Venus-sama."

"Yes?"

"Can I ask your advice on something?"

Venus nodded. "What is it?"

"Well..." Diana's tail flicked nervously. "It's about a boy..."

"Oho!" Venus chuckled, her blue eyes brightening with interest. "Could it be that our Diana-chan has fallen in love?" A mischievous grin crept over her face. "Tell me everything! No secrets now, I want details!"

Diana hesitated, then pointed to the closet. "Um, could we go in there? I don't want anyone else to hear us."

"Hmm? Well, okay..." Venus stepped inside and crouched down to look Diana in the eye. "Now about this boy..."

Diana shook her head. "Go back a little further! It's really embarrassing so I want to make sure it's a secret!"

Venus pushed her way further into the closet. "All right, I'm sure nobody will hear us now." She grinned. "So, Diana-chan-"

Before she could react Usagi had slammed the door in her face and turned the key in the lock. Venus leapt up and tugged at the door handle, but it was too late.

"Thanks, Diana!" Usagi chirruped. She took a small scroll from her pocket and stuck it on the door. "Venus-sama!" she called in a singsong voice. "I'm sticking one of Mars-sama's scrolls on the door, so don't bother trying to use your powers to escape!"

"What?" Venus screeched. "How did you get that?" Her eyes widened as she realized she'd been duped. "You mean you had this planned out from the start? When I get out of here you're in big trouble, young lady..."

"Are you sure this is okay?" Diana asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine!" Usagi reassured her. She grabbed her brooch and dashed off down the hall.

"This is _not_ okay!" Venus shouted. "Get back here! Princess!" She pounded furiously on the door, but Usagi was already gone.

"Forgive me, Venus-sama..." Diana said quietly, then hurried to follow Usagi.

Venus shook her head and tried her best to get comfortable among the mess of clothes and boxes. "No matter what era I'm in, I'm always dealing with an unruly princess..."

* * *

An uneasy silence had settled over the palace. Serenity hovered over the crystal, Saturn pretended to inspect her glaive, Mars and Jupiter stood anxiously in the corner, and Mercury periodically took out her computer, scanned the area for life-signs, and put it back. Luna sat silently at the queen's side, her twitching tail the only sign of her uneasiness.

"Finding anything?" Jupiter asked her companion. The blue-haired senshi shook her head. She polished a non-existent speck of dust from her visor and went back to scanning.

After several minutes, Serenity sighed heavily and shook her head. "Maybe it's nothing after all."

The words were scarcely out of her mouth before an explosion shook the palace. The queen cried out as the walls shuddered and flecks of plaster fell from the ceiling. The four senshi immediately rushed to shield her. In the distance were the sounds of panicked screams and shattering glass.

Mars' communicator rang, and she snapped it open. Venus' face appeared through a haze of static, looking haggard.

"Mars! This is bad!"

"You're telling us!" Mars shouted over the din.

"And where the hell _are_ you!" Jupiter cut in.

Venus grimaced. "I am currently locked in the princess' closet," she replied, looking less than amused.

For a moment the senshi could only stare at their hapless leader. "Why am I not surprised?" Mars muttered.

"In this situation I think it would be understandable to break the door down," Mercury suggested, looking rueful at the prospect.

"You think I haven't tried that?" Venus snapped irritably.. "She's stuck one of Mars' omamori on the door. Even my power can't budge it."

"Then break it down the old-fasioned way!" Jupiter growled as if the solution were obvious.

"I've been trying for the past ten minutes," Venus moaned, rubbing her shoulder. "If only I had a screwdriver..." Then she turned serious. "Mars, take over for me," she instructed. "Protect the queen at all costs."

"Venus!" Serenity said urgently. "My daughter..."

"Yes, and someone go look for the princess."

Saturn stepped forward immediately. "Please leave that to me." The queen nodded, and Saturn hurried off down the hall.

Another loud crash rang out through the palace. The senshi braced themselves as the whole room trembled.

"I've got it on my scanner!" Mercury announced. "I'm sending it over to the main monitor..." As she spoke a screen on the back wall of the room sprang into life with a shrill beep. An image of the main ballroom came into focus. Most of the lights had gone out, and the hall was beginning to fill with smoke. Chairs and tables were overturned, a large crystal chandelier had been ripped from the ceiling, and a series of small fires had sprung up. Standing in the middle of the wreckage was a sinewy figure with blue skin. Its body was mostly obscured by the pair of brilliant silver wings that sprouted from its back, but they could see the glint of long, needle-like claws.

Serenity frowned in determination and picked up the crystal. "Brace yourselves!" she commanded. "I'm going to purify this palace!"

"But Serenity-sama-" Venus protested.

The queen just looked over at her and smiled. "I won't die, Venus. I promise." She raised the shining stone in outstretched palms. "Silver Moon Crystal..."

"Stooooop!" a small voice cried out from the monitor.

Serenity hesitated, recognizing her daughter's voice. She turned around and saw Usagi's face on the screen.

"Usagi-chan!" she cried out in alarm. "Where are you? Why didn't you stay in your room as I told you to?"

Usagi ignored her. "Don't use up all your power! Stay there and guard the crystal, and let me handle this monster! This might just be a distraction!"

"It's true," Mercury observed. "This monster has attacked out in the open, and remained in one place for a long period of time. It could be that whoever's behind this wants us to rush out to fight it."

"Distraction or not," the queen argued, "it's still just as dangerous!"

"I can handle it!" Usagi reassured her.

"Please believe in us this time!" Diana chimed in.

"Serenity-sama," Luna spoke up for the first time. "Perhaps Usagi-sama is right. Since you can't become SailorMoon anymore, it's difficult for you to fight. And besides, with the crystal divided like this, you won't be nearly as strong."

Serenity said nothing but continued to watch the monitor nervously.

"Let's go, Diana!" Usagi said, throwing the doors of the ballroom open with a bang. She clenched a fist, willing her energy to focus. "_Pink Moon Crystal Power! Make Up!_"

Nothing happened.

The monster turned to face the newcomer, a low growl rumbling in its throat. Usagi backed up slowly as its shadow fell over her.

"Pink Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!" she shouted again, but her power wouldn't activate. "I can't transform! Why isn't it working?"

"Don't ask me!" Diana squeaked.

The creature lunged at them, and Usagi and Diana dove to the side. Its claws plunged deep into the crystal floor, sending a wave of spidery cracks across the smooth surface.

"Usagi!" the queen cried. "Run away!"

"You don't have a chance if you can't transform!" Jupiter agreed.

"This battle isn't worth risking the princess!" Mars pleaded. "Just get back to a secure area and one of us will take care of it!"

"No," Usagi said defiantly. "I won't run away!" She picked up a broken-off table leg that had fallen nearby and brandished it at her opponent. "Stay with Mama!" she told the others.

She swung the table leg at the monster. The blow connected with its knee, but the piece of wood shattered into splinters without leaving a scratch. The fiend slashed at her, and again Usagi barely managed to dodge. It unfurled its bat-like wings and rose into the air, stirring up a cloud of debris.

"Usagi!" Serenity screamed. "Usagi, listen to me!" She winced as the monster slammed its fist into the ground, making the whole palace shake. When the dust cleared, her daughter was struggling to stand. Usagi picked up a chunk of rubble and flung it at the monster. It glanced off harmlessly, and the beast closed in on her...

"_Small Lady!_"

Usagi, who was about to throw another rock, hesitated. "Small...?" she repeated. _Even though she said she wouldn't call me that anymore... Even now, Mama still doesn't believe in me!_"

She was so distracted that she didn't notice the monster's spiked tail hurtling toward her.

"Usagi-sama, look out!" Diana shouted, leaping and using all her strength to shove Usagi out of the way. They went sprawling across the floor as the monster's tail smashed into the ground, right where Usagi had been standing. It flapped its wings again, rising into the air in preparation for another strike.

"Diana..." Usagi gasped as she sat up. The little cat was laying on the ground, exhausted and bruised from her effort.

Diana looked up and smiled weakly. "Believe in yourself," she told Usagi.

"I understand what Usagi-sama is feeling right now," she continued, addressing Serenity and the senshi. "We can't just stand by when the people we love are in danger! We can't always be children who are protected!" She looked at her friend with an encouraging smile. "So Usagi-sama, believe that there is something you can do!"

"Yeah..." Usagi agreed, rising to her feet.

Luna stepped forward. "You're right. I believe in you, Diana," she said. She gave Serenity a meaningful glance, waiting to see if she would follow suit.

Serenity hesitated. Memories of the past nine hundred years flashed before her eyes. The day of Chibiusa's birth. Her first steps. Her first birthday. Her first day of school. The smile on her face that Christmas when she'd first met Diana. Her awakening as a senshi. The first innocent kiss she'd given Helios.

This morning, when she'd asked her mother not to call her "Small Lady" anymore.

It was not until Serenity opened her eyes that she realized they had been closed. A single tear ran down her cheek, sparkling brighter than any crystal. It fell silently and disappeared. She held up her staff.

"I believe in you, Usagi-chan."

A brilliant light poured forth from the staff, bathing the whole room in silver radiance. The crystal and the sword reacted with a strong glow. In a moment the same light surrounded Usagi. It wrapped around her, and she rose slightly off the ground. Her long hair fluttered in a gust of magical wind as the light gathered into a ball at her chest. It slowly solidified into a pink and gold brooch engraved with a star.

"Thank you, Mama," Usagi whispered. She clutched the new brooch. "I can't become Chibimoon anymore," she realized, "because this is my era! Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!"

The compact opened, and the crystal inside gleamed. Ribbons burst from the center and wrapped around Usagi. With a flash of light, a pink sailor fuku materialized. A few more bright flashes formed her boots, gloves, and tiara. The powered-up senshi flashed a brief salute.

She looked straight into the monster's eyes and pointed an accusing finger at it. "Hey you! Don't think you can just do as you please to our kingdom! I am Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"

Her opponent did not appear impressed.

Sailor Moon held out her hands, and with a glimmer of pink her familiar heart-shaped wand appeared. She held it above her head, charging up her magic. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" she shouted. A stream of energy and pink hearts pelted the monster... and glanced right off its tough metallic hide. The monster retaliated with a diving slash. Sailor Moon screamed as she was sent hurtling across the room. The wand dropped to the floor, sliced cleanly in half.

Usagi sat up, gritting her teeth. The skin on her knee was torn open and blood ran down her leg, but she ignored it. _I won't cry!_ she thought. _If it was Mama she wouldn't!_

Serenity smiled proudly in spite of the situation. _If it was me, I'd probably have cried..._

Sailor Moon got to her feet and charged at her opponent with a flying kick. The monster easily evaded her, rising to the ceiling with a few powerful wing-beats. Sailor Moon skidded to a stop and turned around, but the beast was already rushing toward her. She could only brace herself for impact...

In a flash of purple, someone tackled the monster from the side. It crashed into the ground with, slid across the floor with an awful scraping sound, and slammed into the wall. One of its wings lay severed on the floor, still twitching.

"Saturn!" Sailor Moon said with a broad smile as she recognized her friend.

The monster roared and slashed at Saturn, but she deflected the blow with her glaive and pinned its arm to the floor. In the same motion she vaulted herself forward and delivered a powerful kick to its jaw, knocking it back. Seizing the opportunity, she leapt into the air, twirling her weapon, and drove the blade deep into the monster's chest. It cried out weakly and was still.

Sailor Saturn pulled her bloody glaive from the monster's torso and stood up, looking a bit queasy at the gruesome sight. She turned around and returned her friend's smile. "Sorry I'm late."

Sailor Moon was about to reply when she saw the monster's arm rise up. "Saturn, it's still moving!"

But it was too late. Saturn cried out as the cruel claws dug into her back. Cloth and flesh tore as the monster flung her aside.

Sailor Moon ran to her friend's side. "Saturn! Are you all right?"

Saturn coughed and winced as she sat up. "I'm fine. Finish it!" she said urgently, pointing toward the monster. Sailor Moon nodded and angrily faced her enemy.

"I won't forgive you for hurting Saturn..."

"Try throwing your tiara!" Diana suggested.

Sailor Moon nodded. She grasped the slender band and plucked it off her forehead. It began to spin rapidly and morphed into a circular blade. "Take this!" she shouted. "Moon Tiara Boomerang!" She flung it at the monster with all her strength.

The blade flew true, and the creature let out another ear-wrenching scream as it was sliced in half. It collapsed and dissolved into dust.

* * *

At that moment, in an abandoned building on the other side of the city, a young woman was also watching the battle on a crude monitor setup. She frowned with displeasure as the monster was destroyed.

"And I worked so hard on that one, too..."

Her ice-blue eyes fell on the young senshi. "Sailor Moon, huh?" She frowned, leaning closer. Her nose wrinkled as she brushed the dust from the screen. "Hmm. Come to think of it, she kind of looks like..."

As the monster disappeared, the view flickered and static filled the screen. The young woman sighed shook her head. _Nah, it's just my imagination._ A mischievous smile spread over her face as she switched the monitor off. "At any rate, things sure have gotten interesting."

* * *

Sailor Moon carefully helped Saturn to her feet. "We better get you to the infirmary..." she said worriedly.

"I'll be all right," Saturn reassured her. Artemis' voice came in over the communicator. "Well done, Diana! You picked a great strategy!" Diana beamed with pride.

"Hey, give us a little credit too..." Sailor Moon muttered.

"Good job, Lady," said a man's voice from the window above. The two soldiers looked up in surprise, but all they saw was a the edge of a white cape fluttering against the night sky. In a moment it was gone.

"Who...?" Moon wondered out loud.

"I don't know," Saturn said, mystified.

"Artemis, where have you been?" Luna was asking irritably.

Artemis sighed. "I'm trying to get my clumsy partner out of Usagi-sama's closet."

"A little to the left," Venus was saying in the background. "No, _my_ left! Push that rotor..."

"This is a bit difficult when I don't have opposable thumbs..." Artemis mumbled around the hairpin in his mouth.

Mars rolled her eyes. "Good luck."

Moon chuckled. "Well anyway... Thanks for helping me back there."

"Any time!" Saturn replied with a smile. They both de-transformed.

Diana purred and jumped onto Usagi's shoulder. "Good job back there, you guys!" she chirruped. "Now, let's go report to the queen, and get Hotaru-chan fixed up."

Usagi smiled sheepishly. "I'm gonna catch it from Venus..."

"I can't say I'd blame her," Diana muttered.

Usagi shot her feline companion a sideways glance. "Gee, thanks."

Hotaru leaned against her shoulder, and the three of them made their way down the corridor toward the Crystal Chamber.


	3. The Stirring of Destiny, Part 1

**Chapter 2: The Stirring of Destiny**

A cool breeze, carrying the faint scent of wisteria blossoms, rustled the leaves in the garden. Along the far wall, a lithe shadow was making its way through the carefully pruned hedges, avoiding the watchful eye of the lone guard posted at the balcony above. The figure made his way toward a tall tree that grew just below the balcony. There he paused and pulled out one of the tiny silver darts that hung at his belt.

The guard jumped, sensing movement. His flashlight roved across the garden, searching.

"Who's there?"

But it was too late. With a slight flick of the wrist the intruder flung the dart, which buried itself in the guard's neck. Moments later he dropped to the ground in a deep sleep.

The man scaled the tree with remarkable ease and leapt onto the balcony. He glanced behind him nervously, then took a small grappling hook from his belt and slung it up onto the third story windowsill. With a deep breath, he began scaling the smooth crystal wall. His foot slipped once, and he stifled a cry of surprise. But he regained his footing and continued upward.

Finally he reached the narrow window ledge. The room inside was brightly lit and apparently empty, save for the purple and gold velvet banners that lined the walls. But the man didn't move immediately. One gloved hand reached under his cloak and withdrew a small pouch of powder. He scattered it into the room, and suddenly the chamber lit up with red. A laser net. The man nodded grimly, his suspicions confirmed. As he tried to calculate a safe path through the maze, his mouth twitched in annoyance.

"What's taking you so long, Hypnos?" he muttered.

At that moment the wind picked up again, blowing aside his violet cloak and revealing the gold and white outfit beneath. Unfortunately for him, that attracted a bit of unwanted attention.

"Hey you!" a girl's voice shouted from below. "What are you doing up there?" The man stiffened. He took a moment to make sure his white silk mask was firmly tied over his eyes before turning slowly to face his accuser.

A tall girl with wild scarlet hair met his gaze. She stood boldly, hands on her hips, and measured him up with fierce crimson eyes. Without looking away, she carefully set down the suitcase she'd been carrying and stepped forward. He saw that she had a leather whip in her hands and was winding and unwinding it ever so carefully. He pulled his cloak around him and edged back against the wall. "I'm an inspector. I was examining the building for structural flaws." _Damn, we should've come up with a better story..._

The girl frowned. "Tell me, why do I find it hard to believe that?" With sudden violence she cracked the whip just below his feet, and he staggered back involuntarily. He reached for the wall to steady himself, one hand holding the mask securely over his face.

Except that the wall he reached for wasn't there. With a muffled shout he tumbled backwards into the room. Of course this triggered the laser net, and within moments alarms were ringing out all around the palace. He muttered curses as he scrambled to his feet and took a fighting stance. The girl grabbed the rope he'd left dangling and scaled the wall with ease. The man tried to back away, but another crack of the whip pulled his feet out from under him. He groaned, feeling welts rising on his ankles. A fiery red glow surrounded the girl, and he sensed the unmistakable surge of energy that could only mean one thing.

_A sailor senshi?_

Her mouth curved slightly in a dark smile as a red orb appeared in her hand. She held it up, and a brilliant flash of red blinded the man. Beneath the roar of magical flames, he heard her shout, "Vesta Star Power! Make Up!"

* * *

Hotaru winced as Mercury applied a medicated bandage to her wound.

"This cut is deep. You'll need to be careful so it won't get infected," Mercury admonished.

"Yes," Hotaru said softly. She did her best not to move as Mercury worked. "It's too bad I can't heal myself. This could be a lot faster."

"Even the best medical treatment takes time," the young doctor replied crisply. "As I've no such useful magic, there's only so much I can do to speed your body's natural healing process."

"Oh... I didn't mean it like that," Hotaru said after an awkward silence. Mercury was normally one of the more level-headed members of their team, so her sudden sensitivity at the absent-minded comment came as a shock.

"I know," Mercury murmured. She mentally kicked herself for her outburst.

After all these years, the remnants of her old inferiority complex were resurfacing-Mizuno Ami, the weak girl who only knew how to study, a girl whose lifelong goal was to be a doctor, who had finally achieved that goal only to have it swept out from under her by the arrival of a new era. She had long since come to terms with her destiny, but still the ghost of Dr. Mizuno lingered, a relic of an aborted dream. Like a first love, it held a place in her heart that was untouchable, a secret vault that contained all her nostalgia and abandoned ideals. And it was a chink in her armor.

Jupiter patted her shoulder. "Thanks, Doctor."

Exuding her usual optimism, Serenity nodded in agreement.

Mercury's cheeks flushed. "Oh, it was nothing," she said with a soft smile. Her friends understood. They always did.

Moments later, another alarm sounded. The senshi sprang into action, manning their control stations and sealing the doors.

"The laser net in the Golden Crystal chamber was triggered!" Mercury reported, typing furiously.

Without another word, Usagi was on her feet and off down the hall, Diana at her heels.

"Usagi!" Serenity called. "Wait!" She moved to follow her, but the door slammed shut in her face. By the time she got it open again, Usagi was out of sight. The queen sighed. "Honestly, that girl..."

"I'll keep an eye on her," Endymion spoke up. "Please stay here, Serenity."

Serenity hesitated, but nodded. "Be careful." She watched anxiously as her husband disappeared down the dark hall.

"I'm sorry, Usagi-chan..." Hotaru whispered. "I wanted to be the one to protect you."

Serenity heard her, and reached out to squeeze her hand gently. "Let's have faith." Hotaru nodded and squeezed back, glad to have found a kindred spirit.

Luna sighed as she sat down next to Serenity. "If by 'have faith' you mean 'sit here and worry ourselves sick over something we both know full well she can handle,' then yes."

That much coaxed a smile from the queen.

* * *

The cloaked intruder tightened his fists as SailorVesta appeared in a burst of fire. The senshi snapped her whip again, but now the weapon was cloaked in flames.

"You've really caused me a lot of trouble," she said, approaching him with slow, deliberate steps. "You're gonna regret that."

The man took a step back as the fiery senshi advanced. _It's no good! I wont' have time to prepare a spell like this..._

With an angry shout, Vesta attacked. The man could only brace himself as the burning whip hurtled toward him.

At the last second, someone leapt through the window and tackled Vesta to the ground. The magical fire vanished as she lost her grip on her weapon, and it slid across the room, out of reach. The newcomer smirked and held her pinned against the floor.

"Hypnos!" the the man in the violet cloak sighed, looking immensely relieved.

"Sorry I'm late," the other said sheepishly. "I had some business to attend to."

"I know," the first said. He added softly, "Thank you."

Hypnos turned back to Vesta. "You're outnumbered. Give up and we'll let you go."

"Ha!" Vesta laughed. "It'll take more than two of you to beat-aah!" she cried out as Hypnos shoved his knee into her back.

The taller one frowned down at her with stern golden eyes. "Don't make us kill you. You know you don't have a chance."

"Diamond Storm!" another voice shouted. Hypnos cried out in surprise and pain as a flurry of sparks exploded around him, knocking him away from Vesta. A senshi in green leapt in through the window. "Then let's even the score, shall we?" she said, glaring at them as she helped Vesta to her feet.

"Juno!" Vesta exclaimed, recognizing her companion.

Juno glanced sideways at her with a wry grin. "Getting in trouble as usual, Vesta?"

"Fair enough," the tall man said simply. For a split second, Juno thought his voice sounded familiar. He calmly raised his hand and began chanting. His body was surrounded by an eerie golden glow.

"Aether..." his partner began, looking worried.

A beam of pure white light shot from Aether's palm, striking Vesta in the chest. She screamed in pain as the force of the blast knocked her through the wall. Her unconscious form plummeted to the ground far below.

"Vesta!" Juno screamed. She ran to the window, and was relieved to see that a clump of bushes had broken Vesta's fall. She didn't even see the second blast coming. It struck her in the back, and she was sent tumbling out the window to land by Vesta's side.

Hypnos ventured cautiously over to the window. He peered down and saw both senshi knocked out cold. Shaking his head, he turned back to face his partner.

"Such a weak attack shouldn't kill them," Aether said simply.

"You're reckless."

"I have my reasons. You know that."

Hypnos started to say something, then changed his mind. "Anyway, grab the crystal and let's get out of here."

Aether had already moved to the door on the far wall and was entering a code into the small control panel on the wall. The machine made a disgruntled buzzing noise, and Aether frowned.

"Looks like they've changed it already," Hypnos observed.

"Well, that's to be expected." Aether produced a small electronic device from his pocket and held it against the control panel. A few small lights flashed, and several anxious seconds passed before a quiet beep sounded. The door slid open, revealing a room with a pedestal much like the one in the Ginzuishou chamber. On top sat a similar crystal flower, but this one glowed with a warm golden light.

"Ready?" Aether asked.

"Always," his partner replied with a slight smile.

In one smooth motion Aether snatched the crystal from its resting place, and the two whirled and bolted out the door. Of course, this triggered a whole new set of alarms. Hypnos and Aether were momentarily blinded by the glaring red lights as they prepared to leap from the window.

"Freeze!"

The two stopped short as a clear, strong voice rang out above the dull roar of the alarms. They turned slowly to see a pink-haired girl in a sailor suit challenging them. At that moment the clouds parted, and a shaft of pure moonlight poured in through the window, surrounding her with an unearthly radiance.

Hypnos inhaled sharply. "You're..."

"The soldier of love and justice, SailorMoon!" She frowned at them. "I won't allow suspicious people to enter this sacred palace!"

Aether, meanwhile, said nothing, only stared at SailorMoon with wide eyes. Pale gold met warm red-brown, and for some reason her breath caught in her throat. In that brief moment, surrounded by moonlight, all the chaotic sounds and lights around them dropped away, and time itself seemed to stop. For some reason SailorMoon felt like shuddering, but she couldn't move.

Then a cloud drifted over the moon, and the light fled from the room. Hypnos chuckled. "I'm afraid we aren't asking your permission."

He flicked his wrist, and a tiny vial of purple liquid appeared between his fingers. Before SailorMoon could react, he flung it to the ground, where it exploded and filled the room with a thick, choking black smoke.

Hypnos shook his partner. "Aether," he said, quietly but firmly. The touch seemed to bring Aether to his senses, and the two leapt from the window. By the time the smoke cleared, they were gone.

* * *

Sailor Juno slowly opened her eyes to find herself draped over a once-beautiful topiary of a unicorn. She disentangled her hair from what had been the steed's hindquarters and carefully slid to the ground.

"Ugh," she groaned as she clutched her aching head. Her disgust only increased as the memory of her humiliating defeat returned.

"Well, that sucked," Vesta said sourly.

The taller senshi frowned quietly, still trying to sort everything out. "I don't understand. They didn't finish us off..."

Vesta swore under her breath, pounding the ground with her fist. "This is not good. I let him get away after he saw me transform!"

Juno eyed her with disbelief for a moment, then shook her head. "You transformed in front of him? What were you thinking?"

"It shouldn't have been a problem, since I was going to kill him."

"But you _didn't_!"

"Look, I don't have time for the post-game analysis right now-"

She was cut off by a sudden ominous whirring. A computerized voice echoed across the palace grounds. "Alert. The Crystal Palace is entering a complete lock-down. Shields will activate in 30 seconds. For your own safety, please vacate the premises. Alert..."

Juno stiffened. Vesta jumped to her feet and grabbed her companion's arm. "Let's go!"

The two broke into a run. All around them, small white force-field generators began to sprout up from the ground, covering the palace lawn in a perfect grid. They looked like bizarre alien flowers, each topped with a smooth plastic bulb that was ringed with blinking red lights. When the countdown ended, those bulbs would emit a searing web of pure energy, stretching out over a quarter-mile radius from the walls. Anything or anyone unfortunate enough to be caught inside would, simply put, cease to exist. There was a reason no one ever tried to break into the Crystal Palace.

"Shields will activate in 15 seconds. For your own safety..."

"Hurry up, Vesta!" Juno urged, quickening her pace. Vesta nodded grimly; though she'd never admit it, she was having a hard time keeping up.

"10 Seconds..."

Juno was dragging Vesta now. It hurt her arm, but she was too panicked and breathless to protest.

"3... 2... 1..."

A ragged cry burst from Juno's throat as she made one last desperate dash. She lunged forward, Vesta in tow, and the two stumbled out of the shield boundary just as the countdown ended. A fraction of a second later, a brilliant white dome of energy shot up around the palace with the soft whispering sound of a blade cutting through the air. After a moment the two sat up, trembling. One of the ribbons on Vesta's skirt had been caught in the shield and severed cleanly. She gulped, knowing it could just as easily have been her head.

"We're alive," Juno gasped.

"Yeah. That was close," said Vesta as she dusted herself off. Then she remembered something, and stomped her foot angrily. "Darn it! My luggage is in there!"

"You're welcome," her companion muttered. Juno looked back at the shimmering wall surrounding the palace and sighed. "Great. We need to get back to Serenity."

"Well then, let's go!" Vesta set off with determined strides, headed for the front gate of the palace. "I'm sure they'll let us in when they see that we're senshi."

Juno was about to follow when a sound in the distance made her pause. "Vesta!" she whispered. "Listen!" The two strained their ears and could just barely pick up a muffled scream coming from somewhere a few blocks away.

"What do we do?" Vesta asked.

Juno had already made her decision. "Come on! We have to help!" With that she turned and sprinted down the street.

* * *

As King Endymion hauled himself up the final flight of stairs leading to the Golden Crystal chamber, he was secretly glad his wife and their friends weren't here to see the sorry state he was in. Many years had passed since he traded in his old tuxedo for the lavender robes of royalty. These days his time was occupied with stately affairs rather than daring nocturnal rescue missions, and his physique had suffered as a result. With every step, his aching legs chastised him.

_You need to lay off the chocolate,_ his conscience nagged.

_At least Serenity still thinks I'm hot,_ his stubborn side retorted.

By the time he reached the top, he was thoroughly winded.

He arrived to find the chamber in a shambles. The air was filled with dust and smoke, and tainted with an acrid chemical odor. Burn marks scarred the floor, and two of the windows were shattered. The pins-and-needles sensation of lingering magical energy assaulted his psychic senses, making him shiver. Strong auras had clashed here recently, at least four or five of them.

The door to the vault that protected the crystal stood wide open. He didn't need to look inside to know that it was missing; he could feel it. Whoever had stolen it was gone. As was a large piece of the wall. And his daughter.

Frantic, he reached out with his mind, searching for her. All he got was white noise. He shut his eyes, knelt to touch his palms to the ground, and forced himself to tune out the strange smells, the flashing alarm lights, the crackle and hiss of the shield generators as they activated, and his own turbulent emotions. Gradually, they dropped away, and the hidden world revealed itself, an ever-flowing network of living energy. He stretched out his consciousness through the wind and the soil.

There, at last, he found her unique glow. She felt like sugar-pink tulle, mother-of-pearl, the sound of bells, the spring wind, the feeling of watching an Earthrise from the Moon, and a hundred other things that had no words. That light was dear to him as her mother's, familiar as his own. A sigh of relief escaped his lips. He settled into deeper meditation, trying to pinpoint her exact location.

A small voice interrupted and saved him the trouble. "She's trying to find the thieves. Here, I've got her on the GPS."

Diana padded over and sat beside him. She tapped the bell around her neck, and it opened to reveal a tiny laser projector, which beamed a map of Sailor Moon's current position onto the floor.

The gray feline bowed her head. "I've failed, Your Majesty."

He said nothing, but reached out and gave her a comforting pat on the head. With a weary moan, he slouched back against the door frame.

_I'm getting too old for this._

* * *

The two senshi rounded a corner to find a petite, auburn-haired girl lying motionless on the ground at the end of the alley. Bending over her was a tall woman whose silk robes were the colors of an evening sky. From her slender white hands dangled what looked like a shimmering thread. She seemed to have anticipated their arrival, for she immediately rose and turned to face them.

"Evening," she greeted them nonchalantly. She brushed a strand of deep pink hair out of her face and smiled at them.

Juno wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. "What did you do to that girl?" she demanded.

The woman's expression soured. "Is that any way to address a lady? All I did was borrow this girl's "Thread of Life." Her voice was lilting, mocking. "Yes, this," she added, noting the direction of Vesta's gaze. She held up the glittering strands, twisting them between her long scarlet fingernails. "Poor girl. Hers are weak and not very long. But they'll do..." Her smile grew sinister as she looked them up and down. Vesta and Juno unconsciously took a step back.

A roaring sound filled the alley as the woman gathered her power. "Poor, unfortunate sailor senshi!" she cackled. "I, Petalite, will weave you a most magnificent nightmare! _Moira Spirit Weave!_" The thread in her hands sprang to life and leapt at Juno and Vesta. They didn't even have time to dodge as it wound around them, and in moments they were helplessly trapped. Petalite snapped her fingers, and the senshi cried out in pain as their bonds tightened. In a blinding flash of light they were gone, leaving only an odd, faintly glowing symbol etched in the ground. Petalite nodded with satisfaction at her work. With another snap and another bright flash, she was spirited away.


	4. The Stirring of Destiny, Part 2

Chapter 2: The Stirring of Destiny 

SailorMoon leaned against a wall as she paused to catch her breath. She'd been searching for the mysterious intruders all around Chiyoda, but with no luck. Sighing in defeat, she turned homeward.

She had been walking for several minutes when a piercing scream rang out from somewhere near the Palace. SailorMoon gasped and started running.

When she reached the place where she thought she'd heard the screams, she found nothing. A quick search of the area turned up no clues, until she passed an alley and some small, pink things caught her eye. She stepped forward cautiously, and saw that they were flower petals.

She bent down and picked one up. It was fresh and perfect, as if it had just fallen. She examined it closely, but it seemed normal, if out of place. Intrigued, she looked up, searching for where it might have come from, but all she saw were the pale white walls of the buildings, and high above the moon peeking through the clouds. 

SailorMoon glanced back once more, shrugged, and continued home.

* * *

At last, she staggered into the palace, feeling tired, sweaty, and altogether dejected. Her parents were waiting at the door. 

"Usagi-chan!" Serenity exclaimed worriedly. Diana had filled her in on what was happening and where Usagi had gone, but the queen had been about to go out after her anyway.

SailorMoon just nodded wearily and touched her brooch. In a moment her sailor suit disappeared, reverting back to her school uniform. She slumped into a chair and buried her head in her hands.

"I couldn't find them," she reported when she had recovered a bit. "I ran all over the district but I didn't see them again."

"This is not good. If they have the Golden Crystal, who knows what they could do!" Serenity lamented. Then she shook her head, not wanting to upset her daughter even more. "But I'm glad you're safe."

"And what's more," Endymion reminded them, "Usagi-chan has finally become SailorMoon! We should be proud of her." He squeezed Usagi's shoulder comfortingly. "It'll be all right. We'll get the crystal back." But when he glanced over at Serenity, the queen could see worry in his eyes.

Usagi stood up suddenly, surprising them. "I will get it back!" she declared. "I'll track those guys down, and I won't stop until I've punished them and returned the crystal to its rightful place! This is the reason I became SailorMoon!"

"Usagi..." Serenity said softly. Then she nodded. "All right. From now on, that is your mission."

"However, I believe the princess also has another mission," Mercury said, entering the hall with Usagi's school bag in her arms. "And I think it involves several dozen geometry proofs and a half-page response to tonight's reading..."

Usagi just groaned in reply.

* * *

"Say Hotaru-chan, have you seen that new cafe over in Ginza?" Usagi asked one morning as they were walking to school together. "Everyone says the food's really good!" She licked her lips, imagining.

"That sounds nice," Hotaru said, sounding distracted. She kept glancing around warily. Ever since the Golden Crystal had been stolen, everyone had been on edge. Serenity hadn't made the news public for fear of inciting a panic, and the girls were still attending school. But Hotaru in particular was tense, refusing to leave Usagi's side for even a moment when they were outside the palace. She seemed to expect an enemy around every corner.

They walked for a little while in silence. As they neared the school, Usagi noticed a girl with long pink hair standing at a corner looking confused. She had a map in her hand, but it didn't seem to be very helpful as she kept turning it around, trying to figure out where she was.

"Excuse me!" Usagi said, approaching her. "Are you lost?"

The girl looked up. "Oh!" She gave them a friendly smile. "Well, I do seem to be a bit disoriented--my goodness!" she gasped, recognizing Usagi. She dropped to one knee. "Princess! It's an honor."

"You may rise," Usagi said a bit imperiously, gesturing for Seresu to stand.

_Yup, that sounded pretty good!_ she thought to herself with a little smile. _Very princess-like._ Then her formal air vanished. "Anyway... where are you trying to go?"

"Well, I'm looking for Crystal Mugen Academy."

"Hmm, you're pretty far off course, then. Mugen's a few miles up that way." Usagi said, pointing.

The girl's face fell. "Oh dear... I suppose I'd better hurry, then. It's a good thing I got up early." She reached into her bag and pulled out a sprig of small yellow flowers, which she handed to Usagi. "That's agrimony," she told her with a wink. "For gratitude." She gave Usagi and Hotaru a quick smile, then turned to go.

"Wait! What's your name?"

The girl paused and turned around briefly. "Seresu Garnier," she introduced herself. "It was simply delightful meeting you!"

"Garnier-san..." Usagi repeated, watching as Seresu scurried up the street. As she and Hotaru started walking again, she toyed with the flowers, twirling them between her fingers. After a few minutes she stuck them into her hair and smiled.

"She was nice!" Usagi said. "I hope I can meet her again..."

* * *

"Souga!" the teacher called, glancing over the room. "Souga...?" He shrugged. "Absent again, huh? Hmm." 

"Miruki-chan's been gone for three days," the boy next to Usagi whispered. "I wonder what's wrong with her?"

Usagi frowned worriedly. "I don't know. I haven't seen her anywhere. Maybe she's sick."

"Chino!"

"Here!" the boy responded, quickly sitting upright.

Usagi, having memorized her position in the roll, also made sure she was paying attention when the teacher called "Tsukino!"

She sat quietly taking notes for a few minutes, and was writing busily when a folded piece of paper landed on her desk. She glanced up to make sure the teacher wasn't watching and carefully unfolded the note.

"Tsukino-san," it read. "Are those flowers from a boy?"

Usagi's felt her face turn red. She looked around the room and caught one of the boys in the front row looking back at her. When their eyes met, he quickly turned away. Usagi just grimaced.

_I definitely liked it better when they called me Chibi._

* * *

When Usagi left school that afternoon, she was surprised to see Seresu waiting for her at the gate.

"Tsukino-sama!" she called, waving a hand in Usagi's direction. Usagi's face lit up as she bounded over to meet her new friend.

"I hope you don't mind my being so forward, but I was wondering if you'd like to walk home together. I feel I haven't quite properly thanked you for your help this morning."

"Oh, it was nothing!" Usagi said. Seresu fell into step beside her as they started to stroll homeward.

"I see you still have the flowers," Seresu observed, pointing to the blossoms in Usagi's hair.

"Ehe..." Usagi laughed nervously. She made a face, recalling the incident earlier.

Seresu noted her reaction. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing!" Usagi replied quickly, putting on a bright smile. 

"Usagiiiiiii!" Hotaru's voice rang out. Usagi turned to see her friend running wildly down the path toward them. She looked less than pleased.

Hotaru was scolding her as soon as she was in earshot. "What are you doing, taking off like that? It's dangerous for you to be alone! What if--" She stopped short, noticing for the first time that Seresu was there.

Seresu frowned slightly. "What do you mean, dangerous?"

"Umm... I mean, a man could easily overpower a fragile young girl walking alone!" Hotaru said quickly. "Even in a low-crime neighborhood, you can't be too careful! You didn't talk to any strange people, did you?"

_Good save,_ Usagi thought. Aloud she said. "Don't worry. We're together, so we'll be fine."

"Oh! You're the person we met this morning," Hotaru realized. "Garnier-san, right?"

"Yes," Seresu said with a nod.

"This is my best friend, Hotaru-chan," Usagi told her as they started walking again. 

"Pleased to meet you," Seresu said sweetly.

They walked and chatted together until Seresu had to leave. Usagi was all smiles as she waved goodbye.

"Isn't Garnier-san great?" she said after her new friend had gone.

"Yeah," Hotaru said half-heartedly.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. Come on, Usagi-chan. We'd better get home before dark."

* * *

The next day was the weekend, and Hotaru came knocking on Usagi's door early in the morning. Usagi, as it turned out, was already up and dressed for a day out on the town.

"Good morning, Usagi-chan! I was wondering if you'd like to--" Hotaru stopped, realizing that Usagi was already on her way out the door. "Oh, are you going somewhere?"

"Yup!" Usagi said with a broad grin. "Garnier-san and I are going to the park!"

"Oh..." Hotaru looked disappointed.

"Sorry, gotta go!" Usagi called over her shoulder as she dashed out the door.

And so it went all day. At noon Hotaru asked Usagi, "Want to go see a movie?"

"Sorry, I already promised Garnier-san we'd go shopping together!"

And later, "Do you need any help studying for history? You said you were having trouble..."

"I got Garnier-san to tutor me, so it's okay!"

At dinner time Usagi found Hotaru sitting alone in one of the palace's small courtyards. "Hey Hotaru-chan," she called. "Garnier-san and I are going out to a noodle place! Want to come?"

"No thank you," Hotaru replied without turning to look at her.

"But they have soba--"

"I'm not hungry," Hotaru said irritably. "Maybe some other time."

Usagi looked bewildered for a moment, but then shrugged. "All right, then."

After she left, Hotaru slumped down in her chair, head in her arms, and stayed that way for the rest of the evening.

* * *

On Sunday, Usagi invited Seresu to visit her in the palace. Seresu was thrilled, and took in the sights giddily as Usagi showed her around. She kept saying "Simply splendid!" and "Oh, I can't wait to tell my friends about this!" After a while they found a sunny spot in the main garden and decided to have tea.

After a while Seresu noticed that Hotaru was nowhere to be found. "Where is Tomoe-san?" she asked. "It seems like she's usually with you."

Usagi looked worried. "Yeah... she said she didn't feel well this morning."

"You two are really close, aren't you?"

"Yup!" Usagi said, nodding enthusiastically. "We've been best friends for ages."

"What sort of person is Tomoe-san?" Seresu asked. "She seemed nice."

"Mmhm. Hotaru-chan's a little shy, but once you get to know her she's the best! And she's really smart too! She wants to be a nurse some day. She even helps out in the nurse's office at school."

"That's quite impressive!" Seresu exclaimed. "Tomoe-san really is an amazing person."

"Yup!"

Seresu paused and sipped her tea daintily. "Speaking of tomorrow, Tsukino-sama, I was wondering if you'd like to go to that Glass Hour place for dinner. Surely you've heard of it?"

"The one in Ginza? Yeah, I heard it was really good!" Usagi said excitedly.

At that moment Hotaru happened to pass by on a walkway a few stories overhead. When she heard the two laughing and talking, she stopped and peeked over the railing, listening intently.

"That sounds great!" she heard Usagi say.

"Shall we go after school, then? Oh, you'll be simply amazed at how good the food is! And the waiter was dashingly handsome..."

Hotaru's face fell. _But Usagi-chan promised she'd wait for me so we could walk home together!_

She stood forlornly for a moment, feeling betrayed. Then an angry frown crept over her face. "Fine, then!" she muttered. "I see how it is!" She turned and ran down the hall, tears stinging in her eyes.

"...But only if Hotaru-chan can come too!" Usagi was saying. "She's working tomorrow, so I promised I'd wait for her."

Seresu smiled. "You two really are the best of friends."

* * *

"Hotaru-chan! Wait up!" Usagi panted. She jogged to catch up, but Hotaru didn't even turn around.

"Hey!" she said when at last she reached Hotaru's side. "What's going on? You're acting like you're ignoring me or something!" Without waiting for Hotaru to answer, she went on, "By the way, after school today--"

"I know," Hotaru said coldly. She stopped walking. "I... I think I forgot something at home. Go ahead without me."

"Oh...okay."

Usagi watched, puzzled, as Hotaru left. _It's not like her to forget things. Hotaru-chan is a little strange today._ But she decided it was just her imagination, and kept walking.

When she was sure Usagi wouldn't look back, Hotaru peeked out of the bushes she'd hidden behind. She moved a bit closer, than hid again. She followed Usagi to school that way, just far enough to be out of earshot, but close enough to come to her rescue in case another enemy appeared.

_It's my duty to the princess,_ she thought. _That's all._

* * *

On the outskirts of town stood an abandoned factory. No one passed by there anymore, and the building had fallen into disrepair. But that spring, for some reason, it had become overgrown with roses.

At the moment, two people were standing in what had been the lobby. One was a tall, lanky man with wild orange hair. He wore a long red coat and had some kind of mechanical device strapped to his left arm. The other was a short blue-haired girl with pale, round eyes and a childish face. Their voices were raised in one of their frequent arguments.

"Why'd it have to turn out like this?" the girl grumbled. "I didn't expect that stupid senshi to be so strong!"

"It's your own fault, Calomel, for treating this like a game," her companion admonished. "The sailor senshi aren't a threat to be taken lightly."

"Sheesh, you don't have to lecture me!" Calomel whined. She turned her back on him and flicked at one of the blossoms that climbed over the concrete wall. They were a dull ash-gray, not a very good color for roses, she thought.

"Well, be more careful next time."

"Yeah yeah," she said, rolling her eyes. She frowned thoughtfully for a moment. Then her face lit up, and she held out her hands, preparing a spell. As she squinted in concentration, a mist began to gather in the room. Soon it rose into a billowing cloud and took on the shape of a wolf-like beast. The creature threw back its head and let out an eerie howl.

"Ha! What do you think of that, Onii-kun?"

He shrugged. "It's a cloud."

Calomel smirked. Her creation opened its mouth and shot a blast of hot steam at her brother, who cried out softly as he was knocked off his feet.

"I see," he said as he dusted himself off, trying not to appear too impressed.

"Now, go and find SailorMoon!" Calomel ordered.

* * *

Hotaru sighed dejectedly as she packed up the first aid kit and finished tidying up the nurse's office. She slung her bag over her shoulder with a heavy sigh and started the long walk home alone.

She trudged along, staring at her feet. All day long she'd been swinging back and forth between sadness and anger. Now she was tired, and her feelings had wound down to a dull melancholy.

_Maybe it was my fault,_ she thought. _I was worrying all the time. I wouldn't let her have any fun..._

Then another thought occurred to her. _Oh no! What if Usagi-chan and Garnier-san are attacked at the restaurant!_

"Usagi-chan!" she cried, breaking into a run. She shoved the door open frantically, searching for her friend.

"Owww!" Usagi groaned as the door smacked into her head.

Hotaru looked up in surprise. "Usagi-chan?"

"Hey!" Usagi said cheerfully, still holding her forehead. "Ready to go?"

Hotaru blinked. "I thought you guys went out to dinner."

"Tsukino-sama insisted that we wait for you," Seresu explained.

"Usagi-chan..." Hotaru said with a smile.

Usagi grabbed her hand and Seresu's. "C'mon!" she urged. "I'm hungry!"

She turned and started down the street, but Hotaru grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Usagi looked back, confused, and saw a tense look on Hotaru's face. She followed her friend's gaze to the corner of the schoolyard, where a thick cloud of mist was rising, congealing, taking on the form of a wolf...

"Garnier-san," Usagi whispered. "Run!" 

Frightened, Seresu took a step back. "Wh-what is that?"

"Just go!" Hotaru insisted. Without another word, Seresu turned and ran.

They transformed as soon as the coast was clear. "Saturn Crystal Power!"

"Moon Crystal Power!"

"Make Up!" they cried in unison, and in a moment SailorMoon and SailorSaturn were facing off against the monster.

SailorMoon was the first to attack, charging at the monster with her fists flying. But before she could get close to it, it dissolved into an amorphous cloud and rose into the air, only to re-form and pounce on her. She screamed as it pinned her to the ground.

She was rescued by Saturn, who raked her glaive along the monster's side. It yelped and turned back into a cloud, and Usagi scrambled away. The monster resumed its wolf shape and growled angrily at them. Water dripped from its wounded side.

"This is no good! We can't get close to it!" SailorMoon said worriedly.

"But it seems like it has to go back to its natural shape after a few seconds," Saturn observed.

Then the monster sucked in a huge gulp of air, inflating to twice its normal size. Moon and Saturn screamed as it breathed a jet of hot steam at them.

Seresu heard her friends' cries and paused. She wavered, then turned back to find them.

When she reached the front of the school, she couldn't hold back a cry of horror as she saw the monster. SailorMoon and SailorSaturn were struggling to stand. The creature's head swiveled to look at her, and Seresu froze in fear.

"Garnier-san, look out!" Usagi tried to warn her, but it was too late. The monster charged at Seresu, blowing steam from its nostrils. "No!" Usagi shouted, jumping in front of Seresu to shield her.

"Tsukino-sama!" Seresu cried in alarm.

_No! I can't let the princess get hurt!_

Suddenly, without warning, a stream of vivid memories poured into her mind. The dark, oppressive heat of the jungle. The soothing light of the silver crystal. The smile of her dear princess. Herself fighting in a sailor suit alongside her four companions. And at last, her flight across time and space, toward the stirring of destiny that called her to awaken again...

_To the place where you should be. To the person you should protect._

"That's right!" she exclaimed. "I remember now! The time for our true awakening has arrived!" A deep pink aura surrounded her, and the monster cringed before its glow.

Usagi whirled to look at her. "What?!" She squinted against the glare and saw light gathering in Seresu's hands, forming a golden sphere. Seresu held it above her head, and a curved symbol, the sign of Ceres, glowed on her forehead.

"Ceres Star Power, Make Up!"

Hotaru's jaw dropped. "Garnier-san was Sailor Ceres?!" she gasped.

Ceres didn't waste any time, but stepped between SailorMoon and the monster. "How very unkind of you to attack a lady!" she scolded. "SailorCeres will teach you a lesson!"

A blast of hot steam was the monster's reply. The three senshi cried out as they were knocked backward. Ceres cringed and clutched her arm in pain. A blister was forming where her glove had been burned away by the intense heat.

Undaunted, she got to her feet. No more time for idle chatter. "Fragrant Cornucopia!" she shouted, shooting a spiral of golden light from her hands to wrap around the gaseous menace. The monster tried to turn into a cloud again, but it couldn't escape the glowing whirlwind.

Saturn saw an opening and raised her glaive. "Silence Glaive Surprise!" With a quick slash she launched an arc of violet energy at the trapped monster. On impact it exploded, knocking them all back again. When the dust cleared, the monster was gone.

SailorMoon sat up shakily. She dusted herself off and gave her friends a big smile. "All right! We did it!" she cheered.

"Congratulations," came a man's voice from above. The three girls looked up and saw a tall figure in a white tuxedo perched on the rooftop, shadowed by the glow of the setting sun. His face was covered by a golden mask. He stood, tossing his gold-lined cape aside, and flashed them a quick salute.

"Who are you?" Ceres asked.

The man ignored her question. "Adieu!" he called over his shoulder as he leapt nimbly away and disappeared over the rooftop.

SailorMoon stared after him for a long time. "Somehow I have a feeling I've seen him before..."

* * *

"So Garnier-san was a senshi!" Usagi marveled after they had de-transformed.

Hotaru chuckled. "With a name like Seresu, we should've figured it out..." Then she turned serious. "But more importantly, what happened to the rest of the Sailor Quartet?"

"After the battle with Galaxia, SailorCosmos sent us to the future," Seresu began.

"Sailor Cosmos?" Usagi interrupted, confused.

"Oh, that's right," Seresu realized. "You didn't meet her in that form, did you? SailorCosmos is the ultimate sailor soldier who came from the future. She is also the true form of Chibichibi."

"E!? You mean that little kid was actually...!"

Seresu nodded. "In my opinion, she looked a good deal like Neo Queen Serenity," she added. "Anyway, SailorCosmos sent us to the future, to the time when we were meant to truly awaken and protect our princess. We made that journey in our pure star forms, but somehow along the way we were scattered. When we arrived on Earth, we began to grow for the first time as normal human beings. However, in the process our memories were sealed." Her eyes grew distant as she thought of her companions. "Pallas, Vesta, and Juno must be out there somewhere... I wonder if they've remembered yet."

Usagi clasped her hand. "Don't worry! We'll find them for sure!"

"Yeah," Hotaru agreed. "We're a team!"

Seresu smiled warmly at her newfound companions. "Indeed we are."

After a few seconds Usagi tugged on her arm. "Can we go now? I'm hungry!"

Hotaru laughed. "That's Usagi for you!"

"All right, all right. Let's go."

* * *

Half an hour later, they were enjoying a meal at the Glass Hour.

"You sure were right about the food here, Garnier-san!" Hotaru said.

"And the cute waiter!" Usagi added. They all laughed, but quickly fell silent when the aforementioned waiter shot a glance in their direction.

"Oh yeah! I brought you something," Usagi remembered. She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a bunch of yellow flowers, which she handed to Seresu. "Yellow acacia," she said. "For friendship."

"Why thank you!" Seresu exclaimed, clapping her hands. Then she giggled. "But Tsukino-sama... this is yellow acacia."

"Huh?"

"That also stand for secret love!"

Usagi turned bright red. "I didn't know that!" she said, waving her hands frantically. "I didn't mean--"

"I know, I know," Seresu reassured her between fits of laughter.

Hotaru poked Usagi in the ribs. "Do you have a secret love, Usagi-chan?"

Usagi didn't answer, but a slight blush rose to her cheeks. For a moment, the image of a youth with white hair and gentle golden eyes flashed through her mind.

"Your silence speaks for you, Tsukino-sama," Seresu giggled.

Usagi blinked, snapping out of her trance. "I, um..." She popped a crab cake in her mouth to avoid answering. A broad grin spread over her face. "Mm, these are delicious!"

"Yappari," Hotaru mouthed to Seresu, then reached for a crab cake herself. And so they enjoyed the rest of the evening.

* * *

**Notes**

Chiyoda Ward: the area of Tokyo that includes the Imperial Palace (and presumably the Crystal Palace in the time of Crystal Tokyo).

I am guessing that by the 31st century the public school system would have switched to mixed rolls (rather than the traditional way of reading boys first,) especially considering that a woman is governing the planet.

Onii-kun: very casual term of address for one's older brother.

"Ceres" is actually spelled exactly the same way as "Seresu" in Japanese. However, I'm going to use Romaji for her civilian name and English for her soldier name, just for clarity's sake.

Yappari: a hard-to-translate expression that can mean "as I thought" or "after all." In this case it's like saying "As we suspected, she has a secret love!"

R&R is always appreciated!

* * *


	5. The Weight of the World

Chapter 3: 

The frenetic pulse of techno music made the ground under Usagi's feet vibrate as she made her way through the park. There was a miniature city of tents, souvenir booths, and stages sprawling across the grass, all set up to house the largest Dance-Dance Revolution tournament Crystal Tokyo had ever seen. Usagi was sporting a free promotional t-shirt, and had a brochure in one hand and a bundle of extra-large rainbow cotton candy in the other. Seresu was following her, staying as close as possible. Hotaru had been exhausted after a week of chaperoning their princess, so Seresu had offered to relieve her. After half a day, she understood why Hotaru was so worn out.

"My goodness!" Seresu muttered disdainfully, covering her ears as the passed close to a huge set of speakers.

"Is it bothering you?" Usagi shouted over the din.

"Perhaps a bit," Seresu replied. It was an understatement to say the least, but as much as the music was making Seresu's ears hurt, she could tell Usagi was enjoying herself and didn't want to ruin her fun. After all, Usagi hadn't had much free time recently between studying for final exams and fighting for love and justice as SailorMoon.

That thought brought a worried frown to her face. Seresu had just recently regained her memories, and she was still adjusting to the idea of being SailorCeres. She'd enjoyed living as a normal girl, and she would miss the peaceful life.

On the other hand, the revelation explained a lot of things: her remarkable affinity for flowers, her irrational fear of circuses, the odd dreams she'd been having, why she had felt so eager to travel to Japan (a notion which had repulsed her when her mother had first suggested it), and for that matter how she had managed to become fluent in the notoriously difficult language in only a few weeks. Seresu smiled to herself, remembering how her Japanese instructor had heralded her as a prodigy. She wondered what he would think if she told him it came easily because she'd spoken it in her past life.

Now, reunited with her princess again, Seresu had no regrets. But now she knew the danger they were in. Usagi had told her about how the Golden Crystal had been stolen. Seresu knew that crystal was nearly as powerful as the ginzuishou itself, and was well aware of what could happen if it were misused. But although it had been over a week since the theft, there was no sign that anyone had used the crystal, nor had anyone contacted them to demand ransom. There had been monster attacks, yes, but nothing near the magnitude of the disaster they'd been expecting.

The calm almost worried her more.

Just then they passed by one particularly excited group. At the center of the screaming knot of teenagers, a short, chubby girl with blue hair was putting on a flashy impromptu performance. The crowd cheered as she jumped, turned, and clapped in time to the music. She even did a backflip once.

Usagi paused to watch her. "Wow, that girl's really into it, isn't she?"

"That's Itokuri Atena," one of the fans told her. "She's kind of a local legend. If she trains hard she could have a shot at the championship in a few years!"

"Wow!"

By this time Atena had finished and was waving to the cheering crowd. "Thanks for your support, everyone! Atena is truly touched! Atena will do another performance after lunch, so remember to come back later!"

Seresu wrinkled her nose. _Calling herself 'Atena?' She talks like a little kid!_

At that moment Atena skipped by, and skidded to a halt when she saw Usagi's cotton candy. She stepped toward Usagi, mesmerized. "That looks so good..." she sighed dreamily, a bit of drool dripping from her mouth.

Usagi clutched the cotton candy protectively. But Atena looked so pathetic that after a moment she grudgingly offered her a small piece.

"Thank you so very much!" Atena exclaimed, shoving the wad of sugar in her mouth. Unexpectedly, she gave Usagi a big hug. "Atena is oh so grateful!" she said in between chewing on the candy.

Seresu cleared her throat. "You are aware that you're speaking to royalty, Itokuri-san?"

"Eeeee? Princess!?" Atena squeaked. She looked surprised for a moment, but rather than being embarassed she smiled. "Wow! I didn't know you were into DDR! Are you in the tournament!"

"No, just watching," Usagi laughed. Seresu smacked her forehead.

"It's okay, Garnier-san," Usagi told her. "Anyway, that was a great performance!"

"You liked it? That song was 'Impulsive Blue.' It's one of Atena's favorites."

"So is this part of the tournament?" Usagi asked. She looked around. "I don't see any judges..."

"Nah, I'm already out of the competition. Atena's just having fun! Nobody was using this machine, so I borrowed it," Atena explained.

Seresu's eyebrow shot up. "Are you allowed to do that?"

"Well..." Atena waffled. "They haven't stopped us yet, so it must be okay!"

The others stared at her.

"Er... well... anyway, I'm gonna go get lunch now!" Atena said quickly. "But hey, let's get together and hang out sometime!"

"Okay!" Usagi agreed. She and Seresu were both a bit overwhelmed trying to keep up with this girl.

"Gotta run!" Atena said. "Catch ya later!" She waved goodbye and quickly vanished into the crowd.

"Hmm," Seresu muttered as she watched her leave. Once Atena was out of earshot, she turned to Usagi and whispered, "Blue hair, a childish demeanor, and a habit of speaking in the third person. Do you suppose...?"

"Yeah," Usagi whispered back. "I was thinking that myself."

Seresu nodded. "Let's keep an eye on her."

* * *

Calomel was lounging in her quarters, flipping through an outdated fashion magazine, when someone yanked on her ponytail. She yelped and turned angrily to see that the intruder was her brother.

"That really hurt, Pyrolusite!" she whimpered.

He ignored her complaints. "So, whatever happened to that fabulous monster of yours?" he asked mockingly. "Maybe you've already eliminated the sailor senshi? After all, you seem to have plenty of spare time," he said with a glance at her magazines.

"I was just... taking a break to gather my thoughts!"

"Mmhm," Pyrolusite said sarcastically.

"And just what have _you_ been doing, Pyrolusite?" a husky voice behind them demanded. A tall woman dressed in green was leaning against the door-frame, eyeing them contemptuously.

"Ripidolite! I didn't see you!" Pyrolusite sputtered, caught off guard. "I've been working on my strategy so I can take over when Calomel screws up," he finished with a smirk at his sister. She rewarded him with a murderous glare.

"And as for you," Ripidolite hissed, pointing at Calomel. "I expect to see some improvement, and I mean immediately. Our mother will be _most_ displeased if you fail again."

Calomel's normally cheerful expression darkened with determination. "I understand."

* * *

"Ugh," Usagi moaned as she slumped against the wall. She and Hotaru were eating lunch out in the schoolyard. The cause for Usagi's chagrin was her recent language arts quiz, which as usual had gone less than perfectly.

"What am I going to do, Hotaru-chan?" she complained. "Papa said he would take me shopping if I got a B, but it turned out like this..." She held up her paper mournfully. It was marked "74."

"We understand one another, Usagi-sama!" a high-pitched voice squealed, making Usagi jump. She turned to see Atena, who was hanging upside-down from the railing.

"Itokuri-san!?"

She flipped down from the wall, landing next to them. "You said we could hang out some time!" she reminded Usagi.

Usagi just blinked. "Hold on, you go to our school?"

"Yup!" Atena said with a nod. "I'm a year below you, so you probably haven't noticed me. But as you can see..." Atena's shoulders drooped as she held out her own test, revealing that she had failed miserably. "We seem to have the same weakness."

"Ah, school is so difficult!" Usagi sighed a bit dramatically.

"Yup, very difficult."

Hotaru, who had done well, quickly hid her own test paper. She glanced at her the two ruefully, then sighed and went back to her lunch.

"Want to eat lunch with us?" Usagi offered, motioning for Atena to sit down.

"Sure thing!"

"Oh, and this is my best friend, Tomoe Hotaru. Hotaru, this is Itokuri Atena," Usagi introduced them as Atena made herself comfortable and took out a lunchbox.

Atena looked up long enough to give Hotaru a big smile. "Nice to meet you! You can call me Atena." Then she pounced on one of the rice balls in her lunch. "Mm-mm! There's nothing like a good lunch to cheer you up after a rough exam!"

Usagi, who had a dumpling in each hand and crumbs all over her face, nodded in agreement. Hotaru shook her head at them, but there was a hint of fondness in her expression.

"You two really do understand one another."

* * *

SailorVesta moaned and sat up, and her body complained with various aches. The sensation was unpleasantly familiar. Beside her, Juno was nursing an injured shoulder and looking equally dismayed.

"Just how many times did we get beaten up today?"

"The day's not over yet," Juno reminded her. She stood up and grimaced as her spine cracked. "But more importantly, where are we?"

They were lying in a ditch by the side of a crumbling highway. The sky was covered in angry, billowing clouds, and thick fog crept over the ground. The two climbed up to the road above and surveyed the area. All around lay the wreckage of a great city. It was not until they saw the shattered towers of a ruined palace in the distance that they realized what city it was.

"This is Crystal Tokyo!" Juno gasped.

"You mean it _was_ Crystal Tokyo."

"That's impossible. Everything was fine a few minutes ago. What happened?"

Vesta froze, sensing movement in a nearby building. Moments later, two small children, a boy and a girl, emerged from within.

"Hey," Juno called to them. "Are you two lost? Where are your parents?"

The children didn't reply, only fixed their blank eyes on the pair and started to advance on them purposefully. Juno and Vesta drew back, sensing something was amiss.

Suddenly the children lunged at them. Both senshi crashed to the ground, pinned down by attackers half thier height. Their strength and speed would have been unnatural even for adults, and these two seemed barely old enough to tie their own shoes.

Vesta recovered first and kicked the boy off of her, then pulled the girl off of Juno. A flame sprang up between her hands as she called on her magic. "Ember--"

"Vesta, no!" Juno cried, holding out an arm to stop her. "We can't just attack humans!"

"There's no way those things are human!" Vesta protested.

"What if they're normal children being controlled by the enemy?"

That made Vesta hesitate. The little girl came flying at her and punched her hard in the stomach. She doubled over, winded from the force of the blow. Before she could recover her assailant had scrambled onto her back and was tearing at her hair, clutching at her throat, covering her eyes...

"Juno Double Bind!"

An arc of lightning shot out and ensnared the girl, forming a sparkling ring around her. A similar bolt caught the boy, and Juno's power locked around them in two glowing rings of white electricity. Vesta was still out of breath, but smiled gratefully at her.

Seeing that the children were immobilized, Juno approached them cautiously. As she drew nearer she noticed what seemed to be a flower petal stuck to his forehead. She reached out to touch it, and saw a flicker of animal terror in his eyes. Her frown deepened as she grasped the petal.

"Is this what's controlling you?" she asked, pulling it off.

Moments later he convulsed, clawing at the air. Juno took a step back in alarm as his skin began to curl and peel off in small bits, slowly at first and then faster. She realized that his body was completely hollow. Soon he had disintegrated into a pile of petals like the one in her hand.

"They're fakes!" she gasped. "Artificial beings!"

"I told you they weren't human!" Vesta gathered a blazing fireball in her hands. "Ember Strike!" she yelled, flinging the attack at the remaining child. It crumbled into ashes without uttering a sound.

Juno eyed her dubiously. "Was that really necessary?"

"Well, it sure made me feel a lot better."

* * *

Early the next morning, a letter arrived at the Crystal Palace, addressed to King Endymion. It read, in bold, elegant handwriting:

_To His Majesty King Endymion,_

No doubt you are worried over the disappearance of the Golden Crystal. Please rest assured that it is in a safe place and will be returned to you in due time. No harm will be done to the people of Crystal Tokyo. As for your daughter, it is unnecessary for her to keep fighting. I respectfully request that you keep her out of harm's way until this affair is over.

Sincerely,

Aether

The king's frown deepened with each line he read. Serenity and Usagi, who were gathered around him listening, looked indignant. He turned the paper over, searching for some sort of address or seal, but there was none. At last Endymion tucked the letter carefully back into the envelope and slipped it into his coat pocket.

"Judging by the handwriting, I would guess the writer is a man," he said, trying to garner what information he could from the letter itself. "This is expensive paper; he's probably of considerable wealth. And he also seems to be rather well-mannered, if a little arrogant."

"I don't understand," Serenity said. "Such a confident tone! Is he mocking us?"

"More likely it's some kind of trick," Endymion reasoned.

"Either way, we can't trust this Aether person."

"And I certainly don't intend to stop fighting while there are still monsters in the city!" Usagi declared.

Her parents nodded solemnly. "Usagi, I want you to be careful out there," Endymion warned her. "This Aether seems to know about your identity."

Usagi shuddered unconsciously. _That's right,_ she realized. _"It is unnecessary for her to keep fighting"... that means he knows I'm SailorMoon!_

* * *

"Next!" Hotaru's teacher called, peering down at the class through his thick spectacles. "Who can tell me the answer to problem fourteen?" His eyes roved over the room, searching out a target. "Minazaki-san!"

A brown-haired girl in the back row jumped in her seat; she'd obviously been dozing off. "Eh? There was a problem fourteen?"

Their teacher glared at her. He had an uncanny talent for honing in on the least prepared student in the room. And more often than not, that was Minazaki Tomoe.

"Can anyone else tell me the answer?"

The class stared at him blankly. After a moment, Hotaru timidly raised her hand. She knew the solution, but she intensely disliked standing up in front of everyone. As one of the smartest students in the class, and the only one who consistently did her homework, Hotaru had quickly become one of their teacher's favorites. This in itself she would nothave minded--after all, having been home-schooled by Michiru, she had been accustomed to being the "teacher's pet"--but it had won her the instant hatred of most of the C-average crowd. She tried to tell herself they were just jealous, but that didn't make it any easier to walk up to the board between those long rows of resentful eyes.

But someone had to give the answer. _I guess it can't be helped,_ she told herself resignedly.

"Tomoe-san again? All right, come up and show your classmates how it's done."

Hotaru was halfway across the room when theglass in the far window shattered. Students ducked and screamed as a woman in a short blue dress leapt into the room.

Everything about the girl bounced. The curls in her hair bounced, the sugar-pink baubles on her skirt bounced, and the blue silk ribbon she wore tied around her arm fluttered playfully in the breeze. Her smile was bright and cheerful, but there was a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"Surprise!" she cackled in an equally bright and bouncy voice. "Try answering this, class! What's the freezing temperature of the human soul?"

Minazaki raised her hand halfway, looking puzzled. "Umm... I don't think we've been over that lesson yet. Unless maybe I was asleep during it."

Calomel bent down to look her in the eye. Tomoe shuddered as she ran a slender white finger along her neck, lifting her chin until their faces were inches apart. She smiled brightly.

"Wrong!" she pronounced gleefully, clapping her hands. "Better pay more attention in Professor Calomel's class!" She flicked Tomoe's forehead with one long blue fingernail. Moments later, spidery fingers of frost began to sprout from the spot she had touched. It built up rapidly, hardening into ice over her face, muffling her shout of terror. It spread to cover her whole body, and soon the girl was encased in a jagged block of ice.

Needless to say, everyone started running and sceaming.

The woman laughed more and more as she pelted the panicking students with bolts of icy magic. The teacher was trying to herd them out the door, but he only succeeded in getting two through before he too was frozen, and the door with him. Now trapped, the rest of the class cowered against the wall.

_Now what? I can't transform in front of everyone!_ Hotaru thought. It wasn't as if her attacker was giving her any chance, anyway--twice already she had barely escaped being frozen herself.

Satisfied with the pandemonium she'd created, Calomel snapped her fingers, and a silver liquid oozed up from the ground. It rose up and hardened to form a vaguely humanoid shape. With a low grunt, the thing whipped its head around, searching out a target. It found Hotaru.

"Have fun playing with them, Cobalt!" she instructed her creation as she hopped back up onto the windowsill. "Mommy's got something to do, but I'll be back in a little while! Be sure to freeze them all, okay?" She blew the monster a kiss, then jumped out the window and vanished. One final blast of ice sealed the window behind her, closing off Hotaru's final hope of escape.

Hotaru took a step back as Cobalt lumbered toward her. Never taking her eyes off the monster, she pressed a button on her wrist communicator. While it still seemed too far away, it raised its arm and swung at her. To her surprise, the arm liquefied and shot at her as a jet of scalding water. It hit her head on, knocking her back into the chalkboard. Hotaru barely had time to scream as Cobalt launched its other arm, this time made of ice. There was a brief instant of intense, painful cold, then numbness, and then the ice closed over her face and darkness descended...

* * *

Usagi was listening enviously as Ibuki Aya played yet another perfect violin solo when a small chime issued from her communicator. She snuck a glance at it and saw a single message from Hotaru. _Enemy_, was all it said.

In a flash she shot out of her chair. "Sorry, I'm not feeling well so I'm going to the nurse!" she announced, talking so fast her words were barely intelligible. Without even waiting for permission, she took off.

At the worst possible moment, Atena appeared across the hall. Usagi skidded to the side, trying not to make eye contact, but it was too late.

"Usagi-sama! Guess what?" Apparently she wasn't yet aware of the disturbance.

"Sorry, don't have time right now!" Usagi called over her shoulder as she ran past without stopping. 

Atena looked wounded. With a dejected sigh, she started to leave. But then she began to wonder where Usagi had been going in such a hurry. Maybe she'd found out about something very exciting. Or maybe she just really had to go to the bathroom. But Atena figured she would never know unless she followed her. Her lips curled into a mischievous grin as she set off down the hall after her friend.

Usagi stopped short as she reached Hotaru's classroom. Several large, menacing spikes of ice jutted from the half-opened door.

"What the--?"

At that moment, she got a call from Diana. "Usagi-sama! Are you all right?" she asked. "We got an emergency signal from Saturn. No need to panic yet, though. Perhaps it shorted out..."

Usagi shook her head, eyeing the icicles protruding from the door. "I have reason to think otherwise."

"I see. Better transform," Diana advised.

"Right." Usagi looked around to make sure no one was in sight, then held up her brooch. "Moon Crystal Power, Make Up!"

SailorMoon tugged at the frozen door in a vain effort to pry it open. Finally, she rolled her eyes and took a few steps back to get a running start. She aimed a flying kick at the center of the door. Fragments of ice and wood scattered everywhere as the door splintered, and SailorMoon landed hard in the center of a ring of icy spires that jutted from the floor.

It took her a moment to realize that the lumps of ice were, in fact, students. Their eyes were glazed over, their mouths opened in cries of shock and fear. Many of them had their hands raised as if they had tried to claw their way out of the ice before it had completely overtaken them.

"Hotaru-chan!" SailorMoon screamed in horror as she saw her friend among the frozen victims. She ran over to her friend and pounded on the glassy surface, but it was rock-solid.

A low vibration in the ground caught her attention. Something was behind her. She turned slowly and came face to face with a tall, bulky creature with silvery skin that flowed and gleamed like liquid metal. It had no discernible face, and yet malice was apparent in its movements as it made its way toward her. It stopped, planting its feet firmly, and raised both arms at her. As it did, its whole body hardened and sharpened into what looked like silver ice.

SailorMoon sensed an attack coming and leapt to the side moments before Cobalt's arm slammed into the place she had been standing. She turned a flip midair and landed on a desk behind it. Using her momentum to turn, she delivered a crushing kick to the back of its head... only to have her foot sink into it like it was made of water.

She lost her balance and tumbled to the floor, getting a nice bruise on her side in the process. Cobalt twisted its other arm around and was about to follow up with another ice blast, but SailorMoon grabbed a book that was laying nearby and unceremoniously smacked the monster in the face. It staggered back, giving her enough time to get to her feet and move out of range of its deadly arms.

"It has a rather simplistic attack pattern," Diana noted.

SailorMoon nodded. "It's strong, but slow." She pulled off her tiara. "Let's get this over with! Moon Tiara Boomerang!"

Cobalt made no effort to dodge the flying blade. Instead, it calmly raised a watery arm to block the blow. The tiara sank into the liquid and stopped harmlessly. "What?!" SailorMoon yelped. "That's not fair!"

Cobalt's arm hardened into ice again. Then it shattered, and with it her only weapon.

"First the wand, now the tiara. I can't take you anywhere!" Diana lamented.

SailorMoon took a step back as Cobalt swiveled its head to glare at her. She suddenly realized that she had backed herself into a corner. "All right, I'm open to suggestions..."

Standing over her, the monster raised its arms to strike again.

"Waaah! Look out!"

Suddenly, someone came tumbling across the ice and slammed into Cobalt, knocking it off its feet. SailorMoon looked up in surprise. Relief turned to dismay when she saw that her rescuer was Atena.

"Sorry 'bout that!" Atena apologized with a brief bow toward the monster. She looked around. "Hey, what's going on? Is this some kind of game you guys are playing? Love your costume," she added with a nod toward Cobalt.

"Itokuri-san, look out!"

SailorMoon's warning came too late as Cobalt hit her with a stream of cold water. Atena went sliding along the floor and smacked into a cabinet. As luck would have it, this knocked a large globe on top of the cabinet off of its stand. It fell and struck her squarely on the head, knocking her senseless.

Cobalt started toward Atena, intending to take revenge on the intruder. But SailorMoon blocked his path. "Leave her alone! I'm the one you should worry about!"

The monster was more than ready to oblige. It attacked with a flurry of tiny ice shards. SailorMoon stood her ground, protecting Atena. She held back a cry of pain as the sharp fragments dug into her chest and arms.

"Fragrant Cornucopia!"

A whirlwind of light blew away Cobalt's attack, and a soldier dressed in pink stepped in front of SailorMoon. "I must say, it was _most_ bothersome to have to sneak out of school for this," Ceres complained. She glared at Cobalt. "I'll have you know that I am extremely displeased!"

"Ceres!" SailorMoon greeted her.

"At your service, Princess."

Behind them, Atena sat up. She was blinking rapidly and rubbing her head, but not from pain.

"I remember everything!" she gasped. She glanced down at the globe sitting next to her. _Hmm, must have been the blow to the head that did it._

Then she saw the senshi standing in front of her, blocking Cobalt's attacks. Instinct took over and she jumped to her feet. A blue ball appeared in her hands, and a symbol started to glow on her forehead.

"That girl!" Diana realized. "Itokuri Atena is..."

Before she could even finish the thought, Atena held up her transformation orb and shouted "Pallas Star Power, Make Up!"

Ice, bubbles, and blue ribbons swirled around Atena, forming a blue sailor suit. The moment her transformation had finished, the newly awakened senshi stepped forward, taking her place beside SailorMoon.

"Pallas?!" Moon and Ceres gasped in unison.

The shorter senshi saluted them cheerfully. "That's me!"

Cobalt inturrupted the reunion with another blast of water, but this time Pallas was ready. "Blizzard Spear!" she shouted, and deflected the blow with her own projectile. Her attack hit Cobalt in the shoulder, but once again it turned into water and absorbed the blow. With so much ice flying around, the room was growing noticeably colder, and Ceres and Moon shivered.

"I get it! It changes form to defend itself," Pallas said, looking proud of herself for figuring it out.

"Perhaps we can use that to our advantage," Ceres suggested.

Pallas glanced around the room and spotted an old lamp sitting on the teacher's desk. "I have an idea," she whispered. "Distract it for me."

Ceres nodded in understanding. A glowing flower began to form in her outstretched hands. "Take this! Amazones Bouquet Twister!" The flower exploded outward in a spiral, striking Cobalt repeatedly with a storm of razor-sharp golden petals. As expected, it changed to liquid form. But it hadn't noticed Pallas sneaking up behind it with the desk lamp. She smashed the bulb on the floor and tossed the sparking appliance into Cobalt's back.

The monster dropped, writhing in pain as electricity coursed through its body. There was a loud popping sound, and the lights dimmed. When they came back on, all that remained of Cobalt was a steaming puddle of silvery liquid. As the senshi watched, it dried up and disappeared.

* * *

"Darn it!" Calomel muttered as she watched a replay of the latest battle--the part Cobalt had managed to record before being fried, anyway. "My poor Cobalt!"

A heavy hand on her shoulder startled her. She turned to see Ripidolite glaring down at her reproachfully.

"You attacked civilians without provocation," the older woman accused her.

You mean those kids? Oh, they'll be fine in a bit. I didn't take their energy or anything!" Calomel said, throwing up her hands in a defensive gesture. "I just did it to lure SailorMoon out!" she explained.

Ripidolite narrowed her eyes at her, then sighed and released the grip on her shoulder. "Well, it seems to have worked," she remarked drily.

Calomel started to tear up. Ripidolite sighed; she'd known this was coming. "What am I going to do? I can't face Mother like this!" the blue-haired girl wailed.

"You want to regain her favor? Then bring her the head of SailorMoon. Or if you really can't manage that, I'm sure one of her companions would do as well. Otherwise don't bother coming home."

Calomel stared at her feet for a good minute. When she finally looked up, a determined smile had returned to her face. Ripidolite smirked. Calomel was easy to read and even easier to motivate. All she needed was a little prodding sometimes.

"All right!" the shorter girl declared. "I'll show them! The sailor soldiers will regret the day they crossed Calomel of the Moriae!"

* * *

"Hotaru-chan! Hotaru-chan, wake up!" SailorMoon shook her friend lightly, but she was still unconscious. The other students, now thawed, were starting to stir.

"It seems Tomoe-san got burned by the monster's attack," Ceres observed. "And you've gotten cut too,SailorMoon! Perhaps we should call a doctor."

"I'm on it!" Pallas said immediately, springing to her feet.

"But it looks like her life force was also drained," Diana spoke up. "That's probably the reason she's not waking up."

Pallas paused with a puzzled frown. "Why just hers and no one else's?" she wondered out loud.

Moon bit her lip. "I wish there was something we could do for her." She clasped Hotaru's thin hand, willing her to awaken. "Hang in there, Hotaru-chan," she whispered.

Just then, her brooch started to glow with a warm pink light. The air shimmered, and a pearl wand topped with a golden crescent moon appeared before her. SailorMoon hesitated, then grasped the handle. It was warm in her hands. She felt power flowing through her as she touched it.

"That's your Pink Moon Stick, SailorMoon! The strength of your wish to help Hotaru-sama has given you power," Diana marveled.

SailorMoon held up the wand, and the whole room filled with light. "Moon Brilliant Revival!"

As the senshi watched, Hotaru's burns and scrapes healed. At the same time, Pallas noticed that the bruise on her head stopped hurting. After a few seconds the light faded, and SailorMoon dropped to her knees wearily.

To her relief, Hotaru opened her eyes and sat up. "Usa-- I mean, SailorMoon. What happened?" she asked in a dazed voice.

Usagi suddenly lunged forward and caught her in a tight hug. "Oh Hotaru-chan, I'm so glad you're okay!" she exclaimed. In spite of her, a few tears slid down her cheeks.

Hotaru smiled softly and patted her back. "I'm all right now, thanks to you. It's oka-- huh?" She stopped short mid-sentence. Her eyes flew open in surprise as she noticed the new senshi beside Ceres. "Pallas?"

Usagi dried her eyes, feeling a bit silly for the emotional display, and laughed. "We'll fill you in on the details later," she said with a wink.

The other students were starting to open their eyes now. Hotaru glanced around at the wrecked room and half-conscious people, then back at the senshi. "You guys might want to get out of here before everyone sees you," she cautioned. "Otherwise it'll be difficult to explain all this."

The three nodded. Without another word, they got up and slipped out of the room before anyone noticed them.

"Ugh... what's going on?"

"Huh? Did I fall asleep in class again?"

"Why is my textbook all wet?!"

"The window! Who is responsible for this?!"

Amidst the commotion, Hotaru stood lost in thought. _That woman created a youma..._ she thought. _Since their powers were similar, I'll bet those other monsters were her doing too. Is she the only one? Just a rogue criminal? Or... maybe she's connected to those two who stole the Golden Crystal!_ "Tomoe-san?"

Hotaru blinked at the sound of her name. Minazaki was waving a hand in front of her face. "Are you okay?" the brunette asked. "You were staring so hard, I thought you were in shock or something! Class let out five minutes ago."

Hotaru took a deep breath and put on a smile. "It's nothing, I was just distracted." She collected her things and hurried out of the room, eager to get the images of ice and wreckage out of her mind.

* * *

Seresu sighed and rubbed her forehead as she watched Atena chase butterflies back and forth across the park. She was soon joined by Hotaru. Her friend looked equally weary after having spent the past half hour running around the school searching for Usagi's favorite rabbit pen, which she had apparently dropped somewhere. They never did find the pen, but Hotaru had comforted her with a candy bar and a promise to go shopping for a new one.

"Even after a battle she still has this much energy..." Seresu moaned. Just watching Atena was making her tired.

"Usagi-chan too! I can't keep up."

Hotaru and Seresu looked at each other. Slowly a grin spread over both their faces.

"Itokuri-san!" Seresu called.

Atena paused to look at her, and made a small sound of disappointment when the insect she'd nearly cornered escaped. "Hmm?"

"I do believe it's your turn to keep an eye on Usagi-chan." Seresu caught her arm and led her over to Usagi. "It's quite simple, really. Just stay with her no matter what and make sure nothing bad happens to her."

Atena blinked. "That's all?"

"Yes, and call us if anything happens."

"Okay! Leave it to me!" she agreed, giving them a little salute. "This is gonna be fun! We can play together!" She tugged on Usagi's arm. "Hey, Usagi-chan, I'll race you around the school, and whoever loses has to buy the other person whatever they want at the soda shop! Ready, set, go!" With that, she took off running at top speed.

Hotaru looked at Seresu a bit skeptically. "Are you sure this is a good--"

"Heeey, no fair! You had a head start!" Usagi squealed, leaping after Atena.

Hotaru blinked as the two disappeared around the corner, only to reappear on the other side of the school about half a minute later. _Usagi-chan's pretty agile when there's food involved..._ she thought with a smile.

"Well, that should keep them busy for a while. I'm taking a nap," Seresu announced.

Hotaru had to agree that a nap sounded like an excellent idea.

* * *

The night air was still and cool, and the waning moon cast an eerie haze over thin clouds streaked across the sky. Usagi stood on the balcony, absent-mindedly combing her long hair as she gazed out over the city. It was well past midnight, but she couldn't sleep. Her mind drifted back to the events of the past weeks. _What in the world is going on?_ she wondered. _Where are these new monsters coming from? And more than that, where are Juno and Vesta? I hope they're all right._

Then she recalled the battle at school the week before, when they'd found Ceres. An image of the mysterious man on the rooftop flashed through her mind. Who was he? He didn't seem like an enemy, and on top of that something about him was terribly familiar.

Her thoughts were inturrupted by a shimmering in the air beside her. Usagi drew back, watching closely as something began to materialize. A bright golden light glowed momentarily, and when it receded a magnificent white winged horse had appeared.

Usagi stepped forward cautiously, scarcely daring to believe her eyes. "Pegasus?" she whispered. Indeed, the stallion looked just like the mythic beast whose form Helios had once taken on.

"Hello, Princess," the pegasus replied. She imagined he was smiling at her, though his face remained expressionless. Usagi clutched her shoulders, suddenly self-conscious in her thin silk nightgown.

"Forgive my intrusion," he said, bowing his head slightly in apology. "I sensed your restlessness. It must be a sign of your maturing heart." Usagi blushed. "This world, too..." Pegasus added. "There are many changes coming in the days ahead."

At that Usagi frowned. "What do you mean?"

He didn't answer, but instead looked out over the cityscape. After a moment he glanced over at her. "Would you like to go for a ride?" he asked.

Usagi hesitated,wondering whether to trust him. At last she nodded. "All right."

She climbed onto his back and slid her arms around his neck. "Hang on tight," he warned her. With a few powerful wingbeats, they rose into the air, and soon they were soaring over Tokyo. Usagi's eyes were shining as she looked down at the sparkling lights, mirroring the stars above.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Pegasus said softly.

"Yes." Usagi sighed contentedly and leaned her head against his shoulders.

"Comfortable?" he asked in a teasing tone.

Usagi flushed with embarassment and sat up. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking."

He chuckled. "That's all right."

"It's a little nostalgic," she murmered.

"Hmm?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just that flying like this reminds me of someone I met long ago."

"Someone you liked, I imagine. Maybe even someone you loved?"

She blushed again. "What makes you say that?"

"Just something in your voice."

She didn't say anything, and he let the conversation end there. They turned to the west. On the horizon, Usagi could see a dark area near the outskirts of the city. At the center a shadowy spire rose up, jagged against the indigo sky. It was too far away to see clearly, but for some reason looking at it sent chills down her spine.

"That tower appeared suddenly on what used to be the site of an abandoned factory," Pegasus told her. "Can you feel the darkness that surrounds it? That place is the home of a woman named Moros. She is your greatest enemy, SailorMoon!"

Usagi's eyes widened. "What did you say? You know that I'm SailorMoon?" she asked, frightened.

"It's all right," he reassured her. "I mean you no harm."

She relaxed a bit, but still looked uneasy. "How do you know so much about the enemy?" she asked.

"I have... connections." Pegasus turned away from the dark shape in the distance and headed back to the palace. "I'll take you home now."

Pegasus set Usagi down gently on the balcony.

"Thank you," she said. "I had a wonderful time."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Before her eyes, the winged horse glowed and changed shape. In his place stood a young man in a white tuxedo. She couldn't see his eyes beyond the golden mask that covered his face, but she noticed a few wisps of white hair peeking from beneath his silk hat. 

"You're not Helios," she realized. "You're the man from before!"

He bowed rather dramatically. "I'll be watching over you, SailorMoon," he said with a wink, then leapt over the balcony and vanished.

* * *

**Notes**

"Impulsive Blue" is a parody of the real DDR song "Blue Impulse."

Seresu's last name has been changed from Saikachi to Garnier.


	6. Facade, Part 1

**Quick Character Reference:** I hear that some of the names I use have gotten confusing, particularly using Usagi/SailorMoon for Chibiusa. Hopefully this will help clarify!  
Tsukino Usagi: SailorMoon, Princess "Small Lady" Serenity, formerly known as Chibiusa/Chibimoon  
(Neo Queen) Serenity: fka Usagi, Princess Serenity  
Itokuri Atena: SailorPallas  
Seresu Garnier: SailorCeres

**Chapter 4: Façade**

Seresu's phone rang for the fourth time in the past hour, and the pink-haired girl sighed wearily. "Yes, Itokuri-san?" she answered, knowing who it was without having to ask.

"Guess what? Tsukino-san and I found this funny-looking mushroom in the park, and I wanted to eat it but she said we shouldn't but it looked really tasty. It had a big red top and it kind of looked like an apple except that apples don't have purple spots, so I thought it might taste like an apple..." Here Atena paused just long enough to take a deep breath. "...But then Tsukino-san said we should find out what kind it was first so we picked it and took it to the library and we looked in a mushroom book and it was actually a poisonous kind, so I'm really glad I didn't eat it!"

"Well, I'm glad you're safe. Bye!" Seresu said airily, and hung up before Atena could start chattering again. She collapsed back onto her bed with a moan. _When I told her to call if anything happened, this wasn't exactly what I meant..._

She reached for the box of tissues on her bedside table. That morning she'd woken up with a nasty cold, which she had decided to blame on the chilling battle they'd fought with Cobalt two days before. She frowned as she caught a glimpse of her reddened nose in her vanity mirror. On top of that, her lovely pink hair was a frayed mess, and her normally beautiful eyes were puffy and bloodshot. Just when Seresu thought she couldn't possibly feel any more pathetic, her phone rang again.

"What is it now?" she snapped, not realizing how grouchy she sounded.

"Garnier-san? You sound awful! What's wrong?"

"P-princess!" she stammered. She turned bright red as she realized her mistake. "Please forgive me, I thought it was Itokuri-san again..."

"We're having a meeting at the palace," Usagi began.

"Are you sick?" Atena's high-pitched voice interrupted from somewhere behind Usagi.

"I seem to have caught a cold after the fight at school," she sighed.

"Oh no! Garnier-san is sick, everyone!" Atena announced. "Come on, we have to go cheer her up! Tomoe-san, you make the chicken soup! I'll get some stuffed animals and a good movie, and we can all go over to her place--"

"That won't be necessary, Itokuri-san," Seresu said quickly.

"The best thing for a cold is to get plenty of rest," Hotaru advised. Seresu smiled gratefully. She had never been more glad to have Hotaru in their group. Without her quiet rationality to balance out Atena and Usagi, Seresu was quite sure she would've gone insane by now.

"Aww, this is no fun!" Atena complained. "Why'd Garnier-san have to get sick today?"

Seresu sniffed. "It's no surprise, really. Between you and that monster, it got so cold I was nearly frozen!"

"But Tomoe-san really _was_ frozen, and she's fine," Atena pointed out.

"Well, a maiden such as myself is delicate like a flower!" Seresu said, tossing her head. She immediately regretted it as a throbbing headache flared up between her eyes.

"Hey, we're maidens too!" the blue-haired girl protested, grabbing Usagi's wrist so she could shout into the receiver.

"Oww, you're twisting my arm!" Usagi yelped.

"Eek! I'm so sorry!"

Hotaru said something, but her quiet voice was lost in the din.

"I don't think this is going to work," Seresu said. "Perhaps we'll have to postpone the meeting."

Atena's eyes lit up. "Wait! I have an idea! Do you have a computer?"

"Of course I have a computer. Who doesn't, these days? Mine's the top of the line, too."

Thankfully, Atena interrupted before she could start bragging. "All right, let's set up a video conference!"

"Oh, but I'm hardly dressed for the occasion! And my hair looks awful!"

The others groaned. They'd only known Seresu for a few weeks, but she had already become infamous for her lengthy primping sessions.

"Fine, fine. Let's get started."

* * *

His sister was around here somewhere. 

Pyrolusite knew it not only by the distinctive trail she left--disposable chopsticks, wads of used tissue, and a few coupons for miracle beauty products--but by the faint, nauseating smell that hung in the air. It was the smell of candy and cheap perfume and frivolity, and it reminded him of all the ways she infuriated him.

He thought it was odd for a person who normally abhorred dirty things to be hiding out behind a dumpster. But then, few of the things his sister did made sense to a rational mind. Pyrolusite kicked the dumpster hard, his steel-toed boots producing a satisfying metallic clang against the empty container. A startled squeak issued from behind a nearby stack of old tires, and a smug grin spread over his face. She had never been good at hiding.

"What are you doing hiding here, Calomel?" he asked, feigning concern. "Did Ripidolite make you cry again? My poor little sister. Why don't you just give up and let us handle this mission?"

Her head shot up from behind the tires, and for a moment he was taken aback at how disheveled she looked. Her face was smudged with grime, her clothes were ripped, and her blue hair had come down from its usual ponytail and hung in limp, tangled strands. "Shut up, Pyrolusite! If you're so concerned about the dumb mission, why don't you go do something about the senshi yourself?"

His smile turned dangerous. "For your information, I've been busy with other equally important matters. But as a matter of fact, I have been working hard on a little project I've been saving for them."

In spite of herself, Calomel looked mildly interested. "What kind of project?"

"Oh, you'll see soon enough. In the meantime..." He paused to look her up and down disdainfully. "You might want to clean yourself up before you return to headquarters."

Calomel cringed. "I can't go back like this! Mother will be so angry! I can't face her just yet..."

"If you go back now, she'll be angry at you for failing. If you put it off, she'll be angry with you for failing _and_ for hiding from her and wasting valuable time. So you'd better prepare your best sob story and get back as soon as possible."

Calomel turned her nose up in a pout. "I'll go home when I'm ready. Now leave me alone!"

With that, she disappeared once more into her humble rubber abode. Realizing there was no more reasoning with her, Pyrolusite turned abruptly and left her there.

* * *

"All right, I have a theory," Vesta announced. She was pacing back and forth, tapping a long stick against the ground. She had picked up the stick intending to draw some sort of explanatory diagram in the dust, but illustrations were not her strong point, so instead it had become an instrument of stress relief. "Suppose we've somehow been sent through a time warp into an alternate dimension where Crystal Tokyo has been destroyed!" 

"That sounds like a bad science fiction movie," Juno said, rolling her eyes. "I'd say it's more likely none of this is real at all."

"You mean it's an hallucination?"

"Yes. Some kind of trick of the enemy. Think about it. We showed up here right after we got hit by that Petalite woman's attack, right?"

Vesta frowned. "Good point. Then all we need to do is wake up, right?"

"Wrong!" a deep voice boomed in reply. Vesta and Juno looked up to see a slender woman in a pink kimono hovering over their heads with a sneer on her face.

"Petalite!" they exclaimed in unison.

The two senshi took a defensive stance, but Petalite made no move to fight them, only yawned and examined her needle-like scarlet nails. Her silk garments twisted and fluttered wildly in the cold wind, but there was something poetic about the motion, as if every moment were a painting. This landscape was her stage, and she the prima-donna; even the wind was carefully choreographed to highlight her terrifying beauty.

"You were almost right the first time," she said. "This is the Crystal Tokyo of the future. This is how your world will look in twenty years."

"That's a lie!" Vesta shot back immediately.

"How could you know about the future?" Juno demanded at the same time.

Petalite's eyes narrowed a bit, a hint of anger creeping into her arrogant smirk. "You'd be better off to stay in this dream," she told them. "With every step you take, you move closer to your inevitable destiny. Think about that for a second. Your every action, your every thought sets off the cascade of events that will someday bring your world to ruin. It would be better for you to simply stop moving."

"We'll take our chances!" Vesta retorted. Red fire sprung from her hand, forming her whip.

Petalite shook her head, making a disappointed clucking noise. "Very well. If you wish to continue this senseless fight, I will oblige you." She pulled a handful of deep red rose petals from her sleeve and scattered them over the ground.

"Watch out!" Juno cautioned as the petals began to stir. They grew and twisted into human shapes, each with velvety red skin and a tangled mess of briars for hair. Their fingernails, long and curved like thorns, were poised to slash at the two girls.

Petalite's lips curved in a cruel smile. "Farewell, sailor soldiers!" she called as she faded away.

* * *

Atena was true to her word. Ten minutes and two phone calls to Mercury later, she had Seresu's laptop connected to the Crystal Palace network. After a few seconds of static, a fuzzy image of Seresu appeared in front of them, looking slightly impatient. 

"Can you hear me?" Atena asked.

Seresu nodded. "It would appear that it actually works. Shall we begin?"

"What do you mean, actually?" Atena muttered under her breath.

"Nice work, Itokuri-san. Okay!" Usagi said, sitting down cross-legged in front of the screen. "Let's get started!"

"All right, first order of business. Usagi-chan, what's on your mind?" Hotaru asked.

Usagi blinked. "Hmm?"

"You've been acting really distracted since yesterday. Is something troubling you?"

Usagi looked sheepish. She had never been able to hide from Hotaru. "Someone, actually. I guess it's about time we discussed a certain mysterious stranger."

"Which one? I can think of at least three mysterious strangers that need discussion."

"Well, I was talking about the one who keeps showing up to congratulate us after we win a fight."

"The handsome one with the mask?"

"They all had masks, Garnier-san."

"Oh... right." She giggled. "And from what the security cameras caught, I'd say they were all pretty handsome!"

Hotaru frowned. "At least two of them are enemies," she reminded Seresu.

"I _know_ that, but I can still make the observation, can't I?"

"About those guys who stole the crystal. Hypnos and Aether, right? What do you think they were gonna do with it?" Atena wondered.

"I don't know," Usagi said, looking worried. "Actually, Aether sent a letter to my father saying that the crystal was in a safe place and he'd return it in due time, whatever that means."

Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "A letter? That's strange. First he steals the crystal and then he tries to act friendly?"

"Did it have a return address?" Atena asked.

"Don't be silly," Seresu scoffed. "A criminal wouldn't put his own address on it."

"Then how was it delivered?"

Usagi smiled grimly. "He was pretty clever. He slipped it inside another envelope that was a letter from one of our friends. That way he knew we'd receive it."

"My, how arrogant," Seresu remarked. "He wanted to make sure you knew he had it. It's like he's taunting you!"

"Not necessarily. Maybe he really was trying to reassure us that the crystal is safe, or justify his actions," Atena reasoned.

"Don't be so naive, Itokuri-san!"

"We all know Aether is bad news. But what about the man in the white tuxedo?" Usagi asked again, cutting the dispute short. She was anxious to hear what her friends thought of him, especially after the incident two nights ago. She had decided not to tell anyone about how the stranger had appeared to her as Pegasus and taken her for a ride over the city. It would probably just make them worry. But still, she felt like she'd go crazy if she didn't talk to someone.

"Well," Seresu mused, "he certainly didn't seem like a bad person, but..."

"She just thinks he's cute," Atena said with a wink at Seresu.

Seresu blushed. "I'm certain that had nothing to do with it!" She sounded indignant, but a twinkle in her eye gave her away.

"Still, it's a little strange that he never shows up in time to help," Hotaru pointed out.

Seresu nodded, turning serious. "I hate to think that such a nice-looking man is our enemy, but for the moment I must agree. It's too early to trust him."

Usagi sighed. Her friends' feelings made perfect sense, but for some reason she instinctively felt that the stranger in white couldn't be evil.

Atena spoke up suddenly, making Usagi jump. "Say, doesn't he look a lot like the priest of Elysion?"

"You mean Helios? Come to think of it, there is quite a resemblance," Seresu agreed. "From what I can see, anyway. It's hard to tell with that mask over his face."

"And he also seems to be quite fond of Usagi. He's always looking right at her, and he called her 'Lady'," Hotaru added. "Do you suppose...?"

Usagi shook her head. "But if he was Helios, he'd have said something to me. Right?"

"Unless he had a good reason not to," Hotaru speculated.

"He wouldn't have forgotten about her, right?" Atena blurted out. Usagi looked crestfallen.

"Of course not! That would never happen!" Hotaru said quickly. Seresu nodded vigorously in agreement.

The group sat in silence for a moment, pondering.

"Well, whoever he may be, I hope he's on our side," said Seresu at length. "So, second order of business! Ah, that is... is there a second order of business?"

Atena remembered something. "Atena has an important question! Can I tell my parents I'm a senshi?"

"Certainly not," Seresu replied immediately. "It's dangerous to go revealing our identities to other people. Who knows what the enemy might do to obtain that information? Besides, they might slip and tell someone else. If word got out, our lives as normal girls would be over forever!"

"Aww, I bet they would've been proud of me..." Atena sighed.

Hotaru patted her shoulder. "I'm sure they would have. But it's safer this way."

Usagi looked around at the group. "Is there anything else to talk about?" The others shook their heads no. "All right. Meeting adjourned! Just in time for lunch."

Seresu coughed and moaned. "I'm afraid I must take my leave of you. You three have fun. I'm going back to bed."

"Feel better, Garnier-san!" Atena said, waving goodbye.

As the image on the screen faded away, Atena realized Usagi and Hotaru looked less than happy. "Umm... what's wrong?" she asked.

"She seemed so polite at first, but she's kind of stuck up," Usagi said, looking annoyed. "She could've at least thanked you for setting up the computers."

"I wonder if she doesn't like us..." Hotaru worried.

"You mean Garnier-san?" The blue-haired girl shrugged. "Atena doesn't understand either. But I'm sure she'll come around if we give her some time." Then she brightened. "So, about lunch... want to come over to my house? My mom's making sandwiches and chocolate cake."

At the words "chocolate cake", Usagi jumped and headed for the door. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

"I live in Hachioji, so let's take the train."

Hotaru checked her watch. "If we hurry, we can catch the next one."

"By the way, my house is a little messy," Atena said. "Hope you don't mind."

"Don't worry about it," Usagi reassured her. "It couldn't be that bad."

* * *

Usagi had seen messes in her day (she had, after all, lived with her mother's past self), but Atena's apartment put them all to shame. The aging paint was peeling off the walls, the ceiling had collapsed in one corner of the kitchen area, exposing the rusty pipes, and piles of paper and old candy wrappers covered every surface. Dirty dishes were stacked in the sink, and even larger heaps of laundry covered most of the remaining floor space. Usagi tried not to cringe as she noticed a huge cobweb in the corner of the room. 

Just as she was beginning to regret accepting Atena's invitation, a delicious smell wafted in from the oven. "The cake's almost done," Atena told them, licking her lips.

A thin young woman in a yellow apron emerged from the bedroom. Her long blue hair was tied back with a matching bandana, which came undone and fell over her eyes as she scurried over to usher them in. "Hey Atena!" she greeted her with a smile. "And you must be her friends! Come on in! Sorry about the mess."

"Thank you," Usagi said, slipping off her shoes and stepping tentatively into the house. "Are you Atena's older sister?" she asked.

The woman burst out laughing, and so did Atena. "No, I'm her mother," she explained when she caught her breath.

Usagi and Hotaru couldn't hide their surprise. "I'm sorry," Usagi apologized quickly.

"Don't be. I'm flattered." Atena's mother re-tied her bandana with one hand as she waved them into the kitchen. "Please have a seat. I'll have lunch ready in a moment." Just then, the phone rang. "Right after I take this call, that is!" She scurried off just as quickly as she had arrived.

"Itokuri-san, your mother looks so young!" Hotaru commented after they sat down.

"That's because she is. She's only twenty-nine," Atena said matter-of-factly.

"Really? But that would mean she had you when she was fifteen!"

"Mmhm." Atena busied herself rearranging a pile of old mail. "My mom fell in love with her high school teacher. She got pregnant, so they eloped."

Hotaru wasn't sure how to reply, so she just said, "Oh."

"Where's your father now?" Usagi ventured after a moment.

"He works in another city, so we don't see him very often. He calls mom every night, though. They still act like newlyweds. It's disgusting." Atena pretended to gag, but she was smiling.

Atena's mother returned. "Are you hungry?" she asked. "You're in luck! I'm cleaning out the fridge. And you know what that means," she said with a wink at Atena.

"All right! LWL sandwiches!"

"What are LWL sandwiches?" Hotaru asked.

"It stands for Last Week's Leftovers sandwiches," Atena explained. "Besides cake, it's mom's other specialty!"

"Oh," Hotaru said again.

* * *

Vesta's blazing whip ensnared a rose monster, quickly reducing it to ash. Behind her, an arc of lightning from Juno finished off two more. But there were plenty more to take their place. 

"These guys seem tougher than the ones before," the red-haired senshi noted, falling back a few steps to power up her flame attack.

"Really? I didn't notice."

"Liar." Vesta grinned at the remaining group of creatures. She extended a hand, beckoning them to come at her. And come they did, clawing at her face with their thorny hands. She held them at bay with small bursts of flame, but they were relentless.

A monster's thorny hair wrapped around Juno's arm. Seizing the opportunity, she pulled it toward her, straight into the path of her right hook. The monster fell limp, and she grabbed the vines and swung it around into the group that was threatening Vesta, knocking them all to the ground.

"Enough of this." A spark jumped from Juno's clenched fist. Then another, and another, until a greenish cloud of electric energy surrounded her. "Diamond... Storm!" she cried, and released the pent-up energy in a sudden burst of white-hot electricity.

"Oh, fine, take all the fun out of it. Ember Strike!"

The combined attacks struck the monsters in a huge explosion. Clouds of dust and charred flower petals flew into the air. A few moments passed before Vesta and Juno could see again. When they were sure the danger had passed, they made their way up the road. They turned up a hill climbed for a few minutes in silence. A thick fog filled the air as they went higher, until they could barely see their own feet. Juno grabbed on to Vesta's collar so they wouldn't lose each other.

The fog abated as they reached the top of the hill. Around them were the ruins of a magnificent garden. Dried marble fountains, withered plants, and the skeletons of tall hedges were laid out in an eerie maze, a hollowed-out shell that whispered tales of a glorious age gone by. Beyond lay the wreckage of what had once been the Crystal Palace.

"What happened here?" Juno wondered out loud.

She started to move forward to investigate, but Vesta suddenly grabbed her arm. "Wait! There's someone there." She pointed to a crumbling crystal spire on the other end of the palace grounds. Sure enough, the shadow of a tall man was visible through the glassy walls.

Never the subtle one, Vesta called out, "Hey, you there! Show yourself!"

He turned slowly to look at them. In a fluid motion he crouched and leapt over the tower, what seemed an impossible distance, and suddenly landed right in front of them. Up close he was an intimidating figure, and the two girls were immediately on edge. He stood a head taller than Vesta, and wore a long white robe with a hood that covered most of his face. His hands were hidden within his sleeves, which was more than enough to make Juno nervous. His commanding posture and intense, sharp eyes only added to her uneasiness. Whoever he was, he was powerful, and he knew it.

"Who are you?" she asked, since he didn't seem inclined to introduce himself.

"My name isn't important," he replied in a voice clear and cold as starlight. "I'm the one who has just destroyed this city. And now I will destroy you." With no further warning, he released an intense beam of light from his hands.

Vesta and Juno screamed.

* * *

To Usagi and Hotaru's surprise, LWL sandwiches were pretty good. Hotaru had pears, walnuts, and watercress, while Usagi had chicken and a couple of other unidentifiable substances--she didn't want to spoil the meal by asking what they were. Atena had her favorite, a "super-deluxe triple olive sandwich." Usagi watched with morbid fascination as she emptied an entire can of olives onto her plate, then topped it off with olive oil and olive spread. 

"I like olives," she said with a nod. Usagi just blinked, dumbfounded.

"Well, enjoy! I'll be in the bedroom if you need anything!" Atena's mother said cheerfully. She stole an olive from her daughter's plate (prompting annoyed grumbles from Atena) before skipping away into the back room.

"Thank you for lunch," said Hotaru, but Mrs. Itokuri was already gone. Hotaru was beginning to see where Atena got her boundless energy.

"Say, Tsukino-san. Did you get in trouble for that language arts test?" Atena asked.

"Well, my parents were disappointed, and Dad said I couldn't go shopping. But I didn't get punished or anything."

Her friend looked relieved. "Atena didn't either! I apologized a whole lot, and mom couldn't stay mad at me."

"But we'll study hard next time!"

"Yup! The future is more important than the past, right?"

Hotaru sighed. "Honestly, you two."

At that moment a loud crack echoed through the apartment, and a pipe in the kitchen began spewing water all over the floor. The girls jumped up to avoid getting soaked.

"Not again!" Atena's mother cried as she came flying into the room with a washcloth. She tried to tie it around the pipe to stop the gushing water, with only marginal success.

"Say, Atena... maybe you and your friends should find a drier spot to hang out for now," she suggested.

"I know! Want to have a sleepover at my place?" Usagi offered.

Atena's eyes filled with stars. "At the Crystal Palace? Wow! Mom, can I go, pleeease?" She was off to grab her clothes before she even heard the reply.

"Sure, that's fine! Stay as long as they'll have you... I mean, have a good time! I think I'll go call a plumber."

"Shouldn't the landlord take care of that?" Atena said, returning from the bedroom with her bag.

"He's on vacation for the next two weeks." Mrs. Itokuri gave up on the washcloth and picked up the phone. "Eek! The phone book got all wet!"

"Umm... are you gonna be okay?" Atena asked hesitantly.

Mrs. Itokuri forced a laugh. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Don't you worry! Run along now and have fun!" As she spoke, she was shoving them out the door while trying not to make it look like she was shoving them out the door.

"Thank you for the food!" Usagi called as they plucked their shoes from the three centimeters of water that now covered the entryway and rushed out.

There was an awkward silence. Atena scratched the back of her neck nervously. "Please don't tell Garnier-san."

* * *

Calomel slid along the wall, keeping to the shadows as she crept down the dimly lit corridor. At precisely 10.2 meters away from the door, she ducked under the invisible beam that she knew guarded the hallway. She'd discovered rather painfully last time she'd try to sneak in to her brother's lab that breaking the beam would set off a series of blowtorches in the ceiling. 

Once she was clear, she made her way down the last stretch, dodging the electrified floor and the switch that would set off the fire hose. At last she reached the door. It opened with a turn of the knob. Calomel couldn't help but snicker; after all those elaborate security measures, he'd neglected the plain old-fashioned lock and key.

His latest project sat hidden under a tarp on a stool in front of his dusty, crowded workbench. She didn't dare touch that--it wasn't finished anyway--so instead she made her way to the back, where he kept his older work.

In the dim light of the single yellow bulb that hung from the ceiling, she could see the glint of heavy armor and ferocious metal blades. This one wielded a scythe, another had a giant hammer for an arm... but these weren't what she was looking for.

Before he had gotten into fuel cells, Pyrolusite had made a foray into steam-powered mecha. His greatest endeavor had been shelved because it had been, in his opinion, too bulky and slow to start.

He'd forgotten that his sister could conjure up enough hot steam to power a small city with a mere thought.

Calomel kissed the tip of her finger, and a little white puff of water vapor formed. With a flick of her wrist, it flitted over to the massive contraption and down one of the numerous pipes that protruded from its back. The sound began imperceptibly, a low rumbling in the ground that tickled the bottom of Calomel's feet. It grew stronger, making the boxes of bolts on Pyrolusite's desk rattle. The robot's eyes lit up as it straightened, life returning to its long-dormant limbs. Calomel had found the controls now, and carefully started it walking. With a rusty creak, it lurched forward one step, then another.

She smiled. This was going to be fun.


	7. Facade, Part 2

**Chapter 4: Fa█ade**

Atena amused herself by bouncing on Usagi's amazingly plush mattress. She was entertaining herself this way because Usagi and Hotaru were currently evaluating the attractiveness of various boys, a pastime in which she had minimal interest.

"Hitoshi-kun is probably the best looking." Usagi said after some consideration.

Hotaru shrugged. "Sure, he's cute, but I don't like his attitude. I think a polite guy like Julian-san is much more appealing."

"Too bad he's so infatuated with Ibuki Aya." Usagi's expression was distasteful at the thought of the pretty, popular brunette.

"He and Aya? Really?"

"Well, maybe. I don't know what's going on with those two..."

Atena yawned, wondering when they would move on to more interesting topics. Just then, something shiny caught her eye high on a shelf next to Usagi's bed. She stood on her tiptoes to get a closer look. It was a thin, delicate flute made of mother of pearl. The instrument was oddly shaped, curling into a spiral at the end. Atena marveled at it for a few seconds. When she could no longer bear her curiosity, she tugged on Usagi's shirt.

"Hey, Usagi-chan. What's that?"

Her friend looked up in the direction she pointed. Her face suddenly grew wistful. "Oh, that. I got it from Perle."

"Who's Perle?" Hotaru wanted to know.

"A boy I met when I was young. We had a big adventure together." 

Atena's curiosity was piqued. Boys in general might be boring, but Usagi's secret untold adventures with a mysterious boy she'd never even told her best friend about were definitely engaging conversation. "What kind of adventure?" she asked.

Usagi climbed up onto the bed and sat cross-legged next to her. Hotaru followed, and Atena smiled, now feeling more part of the group. "We talked for a while and I gave him some cookies," Usagi recalled.

The shorter girl was unimpressed. "You call that an adventure?"

Usagi hesitated, looking as if she were about to tell them something else. But then she clapped a sheepish hand to the back of her head and burst into loud laughter. "Well, looking back I guess it wasn't such a big adventure after all!"

Hotaru glanced sideways at her, a little surprised that Usagi had kept such a potentially juicy secret. "You never told me about him."

"Yeah. I met him the winter before everyone's high school entrance exams. You were a baby at the time." Atena looked very confused. In hindsight, Usagi realized, the statement sounded strange, since Hotaru now appeared to be older than both of them. "He had to leave soon after. But even in that short time, Perle and I became good friends. It felt like we'd knew each other for a long time."

Atena scrutinized Usagi for a moment, then nodded slowly. "I think she has a fever. Her cheeks are all red, and she's staring off into space."

"I knew it! Usagi-chan has a secret love from the past!" Hotaru blurted out.

Usagi balked. "I-it's not like that!" she insisted.

Atena gasped, realizing the scandalous implications. "Does Helios know about this?"

"Helios wouldn't go prying into my secrets!" Usagi retorted. She turned her back on them and buried her head under the blankets in mortification.

"Usagi-chan?" Atena inquired softly after she had been hiding for quite some time.

"We're sorry. Please come out."

"Can you breathe under there?"

After about half a minute of silence, Atena smiled mischievously. "Let's tickle her."

It did not take long to flush Usagi out of hiding.

* * *

Serenity flopped onto her feather bed with an exhausted sigh. To her relief, the giggling and screeching from the next room had finally subsided to an occasional whisper and the soft rumble of someone snoring (probably Atena.)

She thought Endymion was already asleep, so she was startled when he slid an arm around her waist and buried his face in her hair. "Long day?" he asked.

"Always," she groaned. "First I got a message from Coronis explaining why their delegates didn't show up for last month's summit. Apparently they got lost because they were using our old Sol-based coordinates instead of the Zero-Star-based ones, never mind that we made the switch _thirty_ years ago, just like the rest of the known galaxy! So I had to explain that to the Phidarans, because of course they refuse to talk with Coronis themselves. Then I find out Venus is getting sued _again_, I didn't dare ask why this time..." Serenity continued her tirade for several minutes, recounting in detail every stressful incident she'd faced that day and why each one was entirely not her fault. Endymion could only listen patiently, occasionally stroking her hair. Eventually he felt his hand building up a static charge, so he stopped.

"And just when I'm ready to finally get some rest, our daughter springs this sleepover on me! You've spoiled her too much, Endymion! Are you listening to me? Endymion?"

Now he really was asleep.

Serenity glanced wryly at him, pretending to be annoyed. He was lucky that she was so tired, and that he was so warm. She nestled herself against his chest and drifted off into pleasant dreams.

Her daughter was, at that moment, having a very vivid dream of her own.

* * *

The loud crack of a wooden spoon striking someone's hand echoed across Kino Makoto's apartment. It was followed by a dramatic howl of pain. The other girls, accustomed to the sound, barely glanced up from their work.

"You're mean, Chibiusa! What was that for?"

The short, pink-haired girl wagged the spoon in admonition. "Don't open the oven too soon! You have to wait until they're brown at the edges!"

Makoto wiped her hands on her green and yellow gingham apron and stepped in to break up the dispute. "That's right, Usagi-chan. Otherwise they won't bake properly."

Chibiusa looked smug. The blonde glared at her, then climbed onto a stool in the corner and proceeded to sulk.

"Stop eating all the chocolate chips, Mina!" Rei complained, looking ready to unleash her own brand of spoon-fu on her gluttonous companion.

"Aww, come on!" Minako protested. "I was just-- wow!" She interrupted herself to marvel at Ami, who was busily making flower-like prints on her cookies with the bottom of a glass. "That's a neat idea, Ami-chan!"

Ami smiled softly. "My mother showed me how," she explained. "When I was young, my mom always made cookies to cheer me up when I got discouraged."

"My mom's cakes were something special, too," Makoto recalled. Her eyes grew misty in spite of her. "That's what inspires me to cook. Although it seems like I can never quite get the same flavor..."

Rei gave her shoulder a squeeze, a slight touch of sympathy that needed no words. Makoto took a deep breath and perked up again. "Looks like Chibiusa and Usagi's batch is almost ready now!" She armed herself with an oven mitt.

"The sweetest snacks are full of sweet memories," Diana intoned from her perch atop Chibiusa's head. Chibiusa nodded vigorously in agreement, which unfortunately sent the kitten tumbling to the floor. Chibiusa cringed and quickly scooped her up.

"But future happiness is more important than memories," Rei said.

"Yup!" Minako chimed in. "That's why we're here getting lessons! We'll grasp happiness this Valentine's day!"

"Suit yourself," Rei muttered, looking disgusted.

"So if Makoto-sama is a good cook... does that mean she's already grasped happiness?" Diana asked. The others heaved a collective sigh. No one could blame Diana; her reasoning was sound, but the stark contrast to reality was depressing.

"Happiness becomes real while you're chasing it," Makoto volunteered, sounding more sure of herself than she felt. Her friends looked less than convinced. The buzzer on the oven saved her, and she quickly reached in to retrieve the tray.

"It's too bad _my_ mother can only make burnt cookies!" Chibiusa complained. Usagi shot her another glare.

As if on cue, Makoto set the piping hot trays down on the counter. Several dozen small, misshapen black lumps were all that remained of what had seemed to be promising lumps of batter. The two would-be chefs were crestfallen.

"I wanted to give them to Mamo-chan, but they're all burnt! This is all your fault!" Usagi wailed.

"What? I was going to give them to Mamo-chan! It's your fault they got burnt!"

"Hey, he's _my_ boyfriend! I should be the one to give him cookies!"

"What does it matter, since you went and burnt them?"

Makoto paused, inhaling the sweet yet earthy scent of freshly-baked oatmeal and raisins. "Wait a minute. They still smell all right." She broke a piece off and tentatively put it in her mouth. A second later, her face brightened. "Hey, these aren't bad!"

Chibiusa tasted one and nodded in approval. "In that case, I'll take them to Mamo-chan after all!" Wasting no time, she bundled them in a napkin. "Thanks a bunch, Mako-chan!" she called as she skipped out the door.

"Oh, no you don't!" Not to be outdone, Usagi grabbed a handful of cookies and shoved them into her school bag. She jammed her feet into her shoes and ran after Chibiusa. Three seconds later she stuck her head back in the door, said a quick thank-you-and-goodbye, and took off again, shouting a long stream of threats and insults at her future daughter.

Makoto grumbled softly as she realized they had left her with the dishes.

* * *

Unfortunately for Chibiusa, Usagi had much longer legs. Soon enough she overtook the younger girl, and before long she was out of sight in the distance. Even Chibiusa had to marvel at her stamina, considering her usual laziness.

Usagi might have every physical advantage, but Chibiusa prided herself on cunning. She cut through a narrow alley, crawled through some bushes, rounded a corner, and emerged on the street a few blocks ahead of Usagi. Dusting herself off, she set off running again in what she thought was the direction of Mamoru's apartment. After several more shortcuts, she decided she must be miles ahead of her rival and slowed to a walk, congratulating herself for such a brilliant maneuver.

But gradually it dawned on her that the roadway seemed very unfamiliar. In fact, she had never seen any of the buildings before. She forced herself not to panic, and began looking for road signs. At least it was still daylight, and she seemed to be in a fairly nice neighborhood.

She was so caught up in trying to get her bearing that she didn't notice the white haired boy standing in front of a shop window until she ran smack into him.

He turned to look at her with wide gray eyes. For a split second when she looked at him in the sunlight, she imagined she saw pair of giant, prismatic dragonfly wings sprouting from his back. Chibiusa gawked and blinked hard. When she looked again, he was a perfectly normal boy, wearing a perfectly normal red vest, with no wings in sight. Her mouth moved, but no words would come out. He was starting to look annoyed with her.

"Excuse me," she finally said.

He shook his head. "It's all right. Hey, that's a cute kitten you've got there."

Diana mewed happily and nudged him with her nose. He chuckled and obliged, stroking her head. Diana jumped up onto his shoulder and licked his cheek, making him laugh even more. Chibiusa relaxed and decided this stranger was all right.

"I'm Tsukino Chibiusa," she introduced herself.

"I'm Perle. Nice to meet you." He reached out to shake her hand.

"Are you waiting for someone?" she asked.

Perle shrugged. "My brother is in the store. I'm just watching all the children go in and out. They all look so happy." He smiled as another excited child came bouncing out with an armful of sweets. "This is a nice town. All the mothers look kind and gentle." There was an inarticulate longing in his voice, not the grief of a boy who has lost his mother, but the unaffected curiosity, combined with a touch of envy, of a boy who wonders what it would be like to have one. Maybe he had never known his family, Chibiusa thought. Maybe he and his brother were all alone.

But the mention of mothers and cookies brought her mind back to her own parental woes. "Not my mother!" she scoffed. "She's a selfish crybaby, and she can't cook!"

Perle just blinked, surprised at the outburst. "Do you not like her or something?"

"That's not it, exactly..." Chibiusa glanced in the window. "Wow, the snacks look really yummy!"

"Mmhm. They're so cheerful, they look like they might just get up and dance!" Perle pulled a slender, oddly-shaped white flute from his sleeve and began to play. The melody was light and cheerful, but there was an indefinite hollow eeriness to the sound, like a whisper she couldn't quite understand. She scarcely had time to marvel at the music, though, because a far more astonishing occurrence soon caught her attention in the center of the shop's glossy window display. A gingerbread man stirred and sat up, scratching its head as if awakening from a long slumber. Several gum-balls and a slice of baklava arranged themselves into the shape of a woman, who offered her hand to her pastry companion. As Chibiusa stared, the desserts began to waltz around on their platter, surrounded by a cloud of rainbow sprinkle butterflies.

"Perle," came a low voice from the doorway. Perle quickly lowered his flute. As soon as the music stopped, the confections dropped and lay still. Chibiusa rubbed her eyes, wondering if it had all been her imagination.

An older boy with deep green hair beckoned to Perle. "I've got what we needed. Let's go."

"Oh, that's my brother. Gotta run, see you later!" Perle said, flashing her a brief smile. He waved over his shoulder and then turned to follow his brother.

Chibiusa just stood staring for a few seconds. Then, on impulse, she hurried after him. "Wait, Perle!" she called as she caught up to him."

"What's the matter?"

"I, um..." She hesitated, then shoved her bag of cookies toward him. "Here. I want you to have these."

The boy looked surprised, but cautiously took the bag. "Hey, thanks!" he said with a smile. "Let's meet again, Chibiusa-chan!" He tucked the cookies into his belt and skipped off after his brother.

"Diana..." Chibiusa sniffled.

Diana realized with alarm that her mistress had tears streaming down her cheeks. "What's wrong, Small Lady?!"

"I've got nothing left to give to Mamo-chan!"

* * *

An ear-splitting crash interrupted Usagi's dream. The all-too familiar sound of alarms rose up around the palace. She jumped to her feet and stumbled to the window in the dark. Along the way she accidentally stepped on Atena, who snorted and sat up sleepily. Peering out into the night, Usagi could see a huge, dark shape lumbering across the palace lawn. Hotaru was now wide awake and managed to find the light switch. As the spotlights that hung from the the palace walls lit up, the intruder was revealed: a massive black tarantula with glowing orange eyes and legs the size of tree trunks. A sinking feeling grew in Usagi's stomach as she realized it had somehow gotten inside the shields. If it was hostile--which she suspected it was--they were going to have to fight it.

Atena's eyes lit up excitedly. "Wow, cool! Wish I had a camera."

The spider casually crushed the brick wall of the south garden and advanced on the palace. Usagi gulped. "Not cool. It's an enemy!" She looked from Atena to Hotaru, and the three girls nodded in understanding.

Moments later, a bright flash of pink, violet, and cerulean shone briefly from Usagi's bedroom, and three glowing figures leapt down from the balcony. Ribbons of energy wound around their bodies as they fell. They landed, graceful as cats--though one of them, after her experience with a certain hapless feline companion, would argue that the phrase was a misnomer. As their feet touched the ground, one last burst of magical sparks surrounded them, and when they stood, a single, intense beam of moonlight streaked down to illuminate the three freshly transformed sailor soldiers.

SailorMoon tried not to yawn as they sprinted across the dew-covered grass. Being woken up in the middle of the night, having to fight a creature that quite honestly gave her the creeps, and now having wet toes all put her in a very bad mood.

They intercepted the arachnid assailant just before its forelegs smashed into the palace walls.

"Stop right there!" Pallas commanded. The monster halted and swiveled its head to gaze upon them with eight beady eyes. Moon felt her skin crawl.

"For love and justice!" Saturn declared bravely.

"We are the sailor-suited soldiers of the First Crystal Generation!" Pallas joined in. "The Soldier of Cleverness, SailorPallas!"

"The Soldier of Reticence, SailorSaturn!"

"The Soldier of Dreams, SailorMoon! And I'm really tired, so in the name of the moon, let's get this over with! Moon Tiara... Tiara... oh, crap." She grasped in vain at her forehead, where her tiara should be. Too late she remembered the last battle they had fought, where Cobalt had caught her weapon and shattered it.

"Watch out, SailorMoon!" Pallas cried. The monster's powerful foreleg swatted the distressed moon soldier aside. Another pinned her, and the giant spider slowly turned, preparing to stab her with its deadly fangs.

"Get away from her!" Saturn's glaive flashed as she charged forward to rescue her friend. She meant to chop the leg that was holding SailorMoon down. But her feet were still numb from sleep, her eyes were still adjusting to the dark, and the wet grass was slippery. Suddenly her feet slid out from under her, and her glaive flew out of her hands.

By sheer luck, the blade did succeed in slicing off the spider's other front leg, and it staggered to the side, nearly stepping on her. Moon escaped, but was promptly kicked into a wall by one of the seven legs the thing still had to spare.

Now it was angry.

Pallas tried to avoid the stomping feet while looking for an opening to attack, meeting with minimal success in the latter endeavor. Dark brown fluid spurted from the open wound as it flailed about. Pallas sniffed a drop that had fallen on her hand.

"Oil? It's a machine?" As it came closer, she could see the exhaust pipes protruding from its back and the rows of bolts embedded along the metal plating that covered its body.

She didn't much time to contemplate, because the spider had backed her into a corner of the garden wall. Pallas glanced around, searching for a way out, but the wall was too high to jump and the monster was advancing too fast for her to get around it. The other two senshi were still on the ground, and Moon wasn't moving.

She tried to attack, but scarcely got one arm out before it shot a glob of blue gel from its mouth. The stuff stuck to her wrist and rapidly congealed. It was freezing cold, and Pallas realized it was not a web as she had expected, but ice. She tried to shake the heavy chunk off her arm, but it was stuck tight. Her hand was already losing feeling. Two more rapid shots of ice froze her feet together, then knocked her to the ground. The ice began to spread across her chest, and she gasped, suddenly struggling to breathe.

Pallas smiled up at the spider in a futile attempt to appeal to its better judgment.

Suddenly, someone leapt from atop the wall and slammed into the monster from above. Caught off balance, its knees buckled and it came crashing to the ground.

"Attacking in the middle of the night! How very rude! I need my beauty sleep."

Pallas recognized that haughty, feminine voice anywhere. "Ceres!" She waved weakly. Ceres knelt and broke the ice off of Pallas, wincing at the cold every time her gloved hands touched it.

"Thanks," Pallas gasped breathlessly. The two quickly moved away from the robot and rejoined Saturn, who was checking on Moon.

"Glad you could make it," Saturn said to Ceres.

Ceres made a gesture of fluffing her hair. "I like to make an entrance."

"Say, weren't you sick, Ceres?" Pallas recalled, her brow furrowing in concern.

"Well, I assure you that I'm perfectly fine now," Ceres promised. Then she sneezed.

The three senshi formed a wall around SailorMoon, who was just beginning to stir. The spider was also getting to its feet. Harsh, metallic scraping sounds filled the air and a large cloud of steam rose from the pipes on its back as its segmented legs levered its body off the ground.

"How do we beat this... thing?" Ceres asked Saturn.

"We're working on that."

SailorMoon stood, trying to ignore her injuries. Still gasping for breath, she leaned on Saturn's shoulder. Saturn smiled as she saw that Moon was back on her feet, but she never took her eyes off their enemy.

A hatch on the spider's back opened, and shrill laughter rang out from within. A small hand emerged from the opening. Its owner tried to lift herself out of the hatch, but slipped and banged into something with a hollow thud. Muttering curses, she gripped the edge tighter and finally managed to drag herself out. Somehow, the senshi were not surprised to see that it was Calomel.

Dusting off her short blue dress, Calomel perched on the mechanical monster's head and gave the senshi her best intimidating sneer.

"What's the matter, girls? Scared of a little spider?" Calomel covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she laughed, a gesture that might have seemed ladylike if not for her general air of childish rudeness. She pushed the throttle forward, and the spider reared up and charged at the senshi again.

"She's controlling it with that remote," Saturn noted. "Try to knock it out of her hand!"

Ceres stepped forward with hands outstretched, willing her power to focus. But when she opened her mouth to call out the spell, she was suddenly overcome by a rush of dizziness. She wobbled and collapsed.

"Ceres! What happened?" SailorMoon cried worriedly, rushing to her side.

Ceres coughed. "Perhaps I am a bit ill after all..."

"Look out!" Saturn shouted, pushing both of them out of the way of the charging mechanical beast. She and Pallas stood protectively in front of Moon and Ceres as the spider skidded to a stop and turned to face them again.

In spite of her apparent confidence, Calomel was starting to tire. Controlling so much steam was taking more effort than she'd anticipated. Maybe this was why Pyrolusite had decided not to use this particular model. Now she also recalled another problem he'd mentioned, something about a vulnerable spot on the underside. But no matter, she just wouldn't give them a chance to hit her.

She tried to knock Pallas out of the way and reach the two weakened soldiers, but Saturn lunged forward, grabbed one of the spider's back legs, and tripped it. It smashed headlong into the palace wall instead, and got its foot stuck there. As Calomel tried to yank it free, Pallas saw her chance to attack.

"Don't look, you guys!" she warned the other senshi. Silver drops of liquid formed in the air all around her and gathered into a ball in front of her. Pallas flung the ball at Calomel's face, squeezed her eyes shut tight, and shouted, "Pallas Quicksilver Burst!"

A brilliant flash of light momentarily flooded the area, and for a moment the night sky was blue as at noon. Calomel screamed and dropped to her knees, her hands over her eyes.

She groped for the remote and pushed another button. "Auto-Attack Mode! Get them!" she commanded.

Red lights flared up along the spider's back. It crouched, then leapt at them with renewed speed and viciousness. Calomel could only hang on for dear life. It was taking all her concentration just to keep supplying the steam the thing demanded. She severely regretted ever having come out of the armored compartment to taunt her opponents, but it was too late now.

SailorMoon dove to the side, dragging Ceres with her, as the spider fired a volley of freezing globs at her. Luckily, Saturn and Pallas arrived to distract it. Pallas grabbed a large rock and hurled it at the spider's head. It struck the monster squarely in the face, crushing its "mouth." It tried to spit ice at her, but as she'd hoped, the blue liquid bubbled weakly out of the smashed-in opening and solidified in icicles around the spider's jaw, like a jagged white beard.

"Take care of Ceres. We'll handle the monster," Saturn told SailorMoon. "Let's go, Pallas!"

The two dashed toward the monster in what seemed an insane head-on charge. The spider crouched in predatory anticipation. But at the last second, Saturn veered off sharply to the left and Pallas to the right.

The spider paused, confused by the sudden movement. When it realized what had happened, it began stomping its feet wildly in an attempt to crush the girls. But they were ready and dove under its belly, out of reach. Saturn jabbed the Silence Glaive into a seam in the spider's abdomen and twisted hard. Screws and bolts flew in all directions as she wrenched off a large section of metal plating, revealing the complicated tangle of gears and pistons that drove the mechanical creature.

Pallas was ready. "Blizzard Spear!" she shouted, and launched a sharp chunk of ice straight into the hole Saturn had created. The spider shuddered as the attack smashed into its innards. Calomel tried to turn it around, but it was too late. Fingers of ice crept into every crevice of the engine and spread rapidly, locking up gears and cracking pipes as it expanded. The metal plates of the spider's hide began to bulge and crack off as ice swelled up beneath. Saturn and Pallas scrambled out from under the machine as it collapsed with a tremendous crash.

Saturn jabbed the blunt end of her weapon into the fallen spider's thorax, right between Calomel's feet. Cracks spread out from the point of impact and rapidly travelled along the spider's frozen frame.

"Surrender," Saturn ordered.

"Never," Calomel hissed, pure hatred in her voice. With a snap of her fingers, a blue fog surrounded her, whisking her away. Saturn backflipped away from the spider, and the senshi took cover as it exploded into shards of ice and metal.

* * *

Calomel staggered out of the portal and collapsed to the cold steel floor, clutching her eyes and moaning. Heavy footsteps warned her that her brother was coming. She whimpered and tried to crawl away, but ran head-first into a wall. She fell, stunned, and lay curled in the fetal position, trembling in terror.

Pyrolusite's voice came from behind her, low and dark, every word sharply enunciated, shaking with barely contained rage. "You went into my lab without permission _again_," he accused. "How many times do I have to-- Calomel?"

He realized something was wrong when she did not argue or even turn to look at him, only groped at the air with clawlike hands. He seized her shoulders and spun her to face him. Still she only stared blankly through him. He waved a hand in front of her face, but she didn't even blink.

"Can you see anything?" he asked.

"No."

He released her, and she slumped back against the wall. "The sailor senshi did this to you, didn't they?"

"Yes." Calomel bit her lip. "Pyrolusite, I... I'm scared of the dark."

There was a long silence. She began to wonder if he had left.

When he spoke again, a bit of the anger had gone out of his voice. But his tone was still cold as he said, "You got yourself into this mess. I have no sympathy for you."

* * *

The next thing Seresu knew, she was surrounded by the soft, warm luxury of feather pillows and blankets. She didn't remember passing out, but she must have at some point during the battle.

"She's awake, you guys," she heard Hotaru say. Moments later, Usagi and Atena's footsteps came thundering to her bedside.

"Where am I?" she croaked.

"You're in my room," Usagi replied. "We carried you here after you collapsed."

"It seems you pushed yourself too hard," Hotaru said.

Seresu sat up slowly. "Perhaps I did. I suppose that was foolish... what's this?" She broke off mid-sentence as she noticed the sleeping bags strewn across Usagi's floor. "You guys were having a sleepover?"

Atena nodded. "Yup! It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing."

"We decided to come here because the pipes in Itokuri-san's house expl--" Usagi began, then clapped a hand over her mouth when she remembered she wasn't supposed to tell. "Um, I mean, we just decided while we were eating lunch."

Seresu's lip trembled. "And you didn't invite me?" she asked, looking betrayed. "I thought we were friends!"

Usagi didn't answer at first. Seresu's behavior at the meeting had not been particularly friendly, but Usagi knew better than anyone what it was like to feel awkward with her peers, and how one learned to hide that awkwardness with a facade of superiority. She hesitated, caught between the urge to make a retort and the desire to comfort her.

Seresu took her silence as an answer. "Perhaps I was mistaken." She seemed suddenly fascinated with her fingernails.

Then Atena spoke up. "Seresu-chan."

Like water on a wilted flower, the term of endearment roused Seresu from her drooping melancholy. She looked up at Atena with anxious hope.

"I'm glad you're okay, Seresu-chan," said Usagi. Seresu's eyes turned to her, and Usagi was surprised at the desperation she saw in them. Gone was the classy, refined socialite she had pictured Seresu to be. Now she could see a lonely and insecure girl who Usagi realized reminded her quite a bit of herself.

"Let's be friends from now on," Hotaru suggested with a warm smile.

Seresu smiled back. "That would be splendid." She sighed, looking as if a huge weight had been lifted from her. Everyone relaxed, enjoying the warm and fuzzy moment.

Seresu made a small sound of puzzlement. Her eyes had fallen on the pearl flute that Atena had left sitting on Usagi's table. "What a lovely little instrument! Where did you get it?" she asked.

"From her boyfriend, uh... Nonpareil," Atena answered for her.

Usagi's fists balled in mock anger. "His name is Perle, and he wasn't my boyfriend!" she insisted.

"So she claims, but she can't say his name without blushing!" Hotaru teased.

"I'm blushing because you're embarassing me!"

Seresu cleared her throat, and the others looked at her expectantly. "I have determined..." she said, pausing for effect, "that as it is Usagi's heart we're discussing, Usagi knows best."

"Thank you! I'm sitting with her now," Usagi announced, crawling over beside Seresu.

There was a short, tense silence. Hotaru and Atena glanced over at the pink-haired camp, then back at each other.

No one was sure who fired the first shot. But the next thing Usagi knew, she was hit in the face with a lacy pink pillow. She retaliated with a stuffed rabbit, aiming for Hotaru but somehow hitting Seresu instead. Atena grabbed another cushion and jumped into the fray, and soon a no-holds-barred, every-woman-for-herself pillow fight ensued.


	8. 2020

**Chapter 5: 20/20**

Pyrolusite had expected his sister to mellow after the incident. The blindness would teach her a lesson, he thought, or at least make her too scared to flit around carelessly like she'd always used to. Then there would be quiet, blessed quiet, and he could work on his inventions in peace. Since Ripidolite had handed down the order for him to take over the Crystal Tokyo operation, he would need all the time he could get.

But he was wrong. In another display of her remarkable resilience, Calomel had become, if possible, even more active than before. She had turned her handicap into an adventure. What had been simple tasks were now momentous accomplishments, and of course she had to share each one with the nearest person. Which, more often than not, was him.

"Hey, look! I can still do a handstand!" She demonstrated eagerly, knocking over a lamp in the process. Pyrolusite sighed and picked it up. She was lucky it hadn't broken, and luckier that it hadn't wrinkled his blueprints, which were spread out across the carpet.

"At this rate, I'll be back in action in no time!" she declared. "So don't get too comfortable, onii-kun. Once I'm allowed to return to duty, I'm going to get revenge on that little brat SailorPallas! And then I'll kill SailorMoon!"

Pyrolusite rolled his eyes. Ironic that she was this enthusiastic about their mission now, when she'd never been a hard worker before. "When CR-850N is done she'll be more effective than you ever were," he boasted. Calomel looked stricken.

"Don't be so mean to her, Pyrolusite," Ripidolite scolded in a bored tone that made it clear she was more interested in making the noise stop than actually maintaining harmony among her siblings. She took about half a second to glare at him before returning to applying a third coat of forest green nail polish.

"Hey, does it have any games on it?" Calomel wanted to know.

"Of course not. Don't be silly."

She pouted for two seconds, then promptly forgot she was upset and renewed the onslaught of questions. "What does it look like?"

"A girl." The description was intentionally terse. He was growing weary of describing everything for her. He was not gifted with the eloquence to paint a picture with words, but Calomel had always been visually oriented, and she had appointed him to act as her eyes.

"If you're trying to attract girls with it, you should have used a boy robot," she told him.

"No," Pyrolusite argued, "the goal isn't just to attract them. They have to trust her, and girls are more trusting of other girls." _Besides, the senshi probably aren't as foolish and boy-crazy as you,_ he thought, but resisted saying it out loud. For once, he didn't feel like starting a fight with her--he was tired, and if they made Ripidolite angry enough to get up from her chair things would get ugly.

Calomel shrugged. "I guess you're right. But anyway, can I play with it for a while?"

"_She_ is not a toy," Pyrolusite snapped.

Calomel's face scrunched up in a pout. "Sheesh, what's with the defensive attitude?" Suddenly she clapped a hand to her mouth in an exaggerated gesture of surprise. "Don't tell me you're like... you know, involved?" she squealed, sounding somehow horrified and delighted at the same time.

Pyrolusite's face was a collage of shock, disgust, and mind-numbing confusion as he tried to form words. "Wha- what the hell are you talking about?! She's a _weapon_, not some kind of love doll!"

"You don't have to be embarrassed. It's a natural thing for boys at your age..."

"I said it's not like that, damn it!"

"You're both idiots," Ripidolite grumbled.

* * *

"Wow, Seresu-chan! Your room is so pretty!" Usagi exclaimed as they entered. The girls had moved their get-together to Seresu's house, because Neo Queen Serenity had semi-politely booted them out at eight in the morning after they had kept her up all night with their talking, laughing, and spontaneous pillow wars. Atena was trying to avoid going home because her house was still flooded. Hotaru was just trying not to fall asleep on them.

"Even the princess recognizes my good taste! I'm honored by your kind words."

They all sat down on the pink and yellow knitted rug in the center of the floor. Atena had procured several packages of Yan-Yan, and snacks and small talk kept them occupied for a while. Eventually, Atena took to building small houses out of her Yan-Yan sticks, using the icing as cement. Hotaru watched her attempts for a few minutes and then finally lost her battle with drowsiness, dozing off against Usagi's shoulder. Meanwhile, Usagi and Seresu were engaged in intellectual discourse on the highly crucial subject of hair care. After all, when one's hair is six to seven feet long, this becomes a matter of some importance.

"Yours is so smooth and shiny," Usagi gushed enviously. "How do you do it?"

"I wash with my favorite wheat protein, low-detergent, heat-activated, herbal aromatherapy shampoo--starting at the scalp, that's very important! Then I use a multivitamin conditioner, rinse with cool water, pat it dry with a lint-free towel, work hair cream in while it's still damp, and blowdry in 3.7 centimeter sections, ending with a blast of cold air to seal the cuticles--also very important! Then I finish up with a flatiron and a little bit of spray volumizer. And once a month I apply a mixture of avocado and olive oil with a little bit of baking powder."

"For your _hair_?! What a waste of perfectly good olives and avocados!" Atena mourned.

"What do you mean, a waste? This is serious business!" Seresu said adamantly. "You leave that in for a quarter of an hour or so, Usagi-chan. It does wonders!"

Usagi blinked. "I had no idea it was so complicated... Can I brush it?"

"Of course! But only if I can do yours afterwards!" Eager to show off her prized locks, Seresu quickly unwound her bun-and-loop hairdo. (Since her first transformation into Ceres, she had taken to wearing the complex style her senshi form sported even as a civilian. The whole getup took her almost an hour every morning, but she liked it anyway.)

Atena shrugged and went back to building. "If _I_ had all that stuff, I'd make a sandwich..."

Usagi carefully settled Hotaru to the floor and tiptoed around Atena's miniature city to sit beside Seresu. She lifted the pink strands reverently and began running a brush through them.

Atena glanced up from the Yan-Yan apartment complex she was constructing. "Hey, Seresu-chan. With your hair down, you look just like Usagi-chan," she said. "You could be her twin! Or her stunt double!"

Seresu raised an eyebrow. "I think Usagi-chan does her own stunts."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Usagi mock-glared at her for two seconds before they all burst out laughing.

"Venus used to be a decoy for my mother, because they looked so much alike," Usagi recalled. "I guess she can't anymore, though, because Mom's hair turned white."

"I wonder if Usagi-chan's will turn white when she's queen," Atena pondered.

"_Never!_" Usagi screeched, clutching her odango defensively.

"Hey, let's do Seresu-chan's hair just like Usagi-chan's!" Atena suggested. "Then we can have fun confusing people!"

"I'll be your decoy, like Venus before me!" said Seresu, growing starry-eyed. Since childhood, she had idolized the golden-haired leader of the senshi. But now she was more than a fan. As SailorCeres, she had a chance to work with Venus in person, and the close encounter had only strengthened her obsession. It was no longer enough to admire Venus. She would _become_ Venus, from her frighteningly graceful fighting style to her sophisticated mannerisms to her fondness for ramen--Seresu in fact hated the stuff, but ate it just to be like her.

Usagi and Atena began winding Seresu's hair into buns. "So what's it like at Mugen, Seresu-chan?" Atena asked. "I hear it's a really tough school..."

"It is, but I like it so far. I worked hard for seven years to get in, you know."

Usagi's eyes boggled. "Seven years?!"

Seresu nodded. "My mother was a Mugen graduate, and so was my grandfather. They always wanted me to go there too, but I... really didn't want to move to Japan, so I didn't try my hardest on the entrance exams." Seresu's face said that she was lying, and Usagi guessed that she had probably failed the notoriously difficult tests. She quickly went on, "Still, my mother really wanted me to go, so she arranged for me to enter Tokoro Middle School, hoping I could transfer into Mugen for high school. And just this year I finally got in!" The others congratulated her, and she giggled, feigning modesty.

"So where did you live before you came to Japan?" Usagi asked.

"I was born in London. My mother is from Japan, though," Seresu explained. "And my father's family is originally from France. So I've got connections all over the globe!"

Something occurred to Usagi just then. "Are you the same Garnier as that cosmetic company?" she asked excitedly.

"No."

"Aww... I was hoping you could get us free stuff."

"Avocados are for sandwiches," Atena couldn't resist mumbling.

Seresu's odango were nearly finished now. "You know, it's funny," she said. "For the longest time, I didn't want to leave home... but one day I had this dream that a girl in a pink dress was calling me. I woke up that morning feeling like I had to come to Japan." She smiled at Usagi. "I suppose it must have been destiny that we met. And then when I saw you in danger, something snapped, and I remembered everything about the past."

Atena waved excitedly, eager to share her story. "I got _my_ memories back by getting hit on the head!"

Seresu just sighed at her.

* * *

Pyrolusite looked his creation up and down and gave it a satisfied nod. The robot smiled and nodded back.

"Shall we?" he invited her.

"Let's go. I am looking forward to testing my battle functions," she replied. Pyrolusite frowned, noting a slight anomaly in her inflection of a few syllables. He would have to correct that later. For now, they were headed for the battle training facilities; after all, her undercover civilian guise was only secondary to her true purpose.

"She needs a better name than CR-8-whatever," said Calomel, who was tagging along.

"I suppose you're right. What do you want to call her, then?"

Calomel thought hard for a few seconds. "I know! Carnelian." She tapped the robot's shoulder. "Your name is Carnelian, okay?"

"My name is Carnelian," the robot repeated.

"No, no, no. That's too conspicuous. She needs an alias that will allow her to blend in."

"Fine, but I want her secret _real_ name to be Carnelian," Calomel insisted.

He sighed. "All right."

They had reached their destination--a large, padded room with a floor that could raise or lower to simulate varied terrain. They could have fun with that later, but for now he wanted a flat surface to work on the basics. Carnelian stepped inside as a series of small targets lowered from the ceiling. She breezed through a series of hooks and jabs with a stationary target, then moved on to adapt to a moving opponent, then dodging and counterattacking. Pyrolusite nodded approvingly as he watched.

"I'm bored," Calomel whined. "Can I play over there while you guys are testing?"

Suddenly, Pyrolusite had an idea. "Calomel, why don't you be her opponent?"

* * *

Vesta and Juno slammed into the ground as the beam of energy struck them. The force of the impact hurt enough, but the way momentum dragged them across the rocky soil was far worse. Stones and small shards of rubble tore through fabric and skin, leaving their backs a bloody mess when they finally came to rest.

They didn't have time to think about the pain, though, because he was already preparing another attack. Rolling to the side, the two were on their feet again in an instant, just in time to dodge the second beam.

The blast threw up a cloud of dust, and Vesta used the temporary cover as a chance to attack. "Homing Flare!" she screamed, channeling all her anger and frustration into a single destructive fireball. Her adversary tried to dodge with a nimble backflip, but the burning sphere tracked him and smashed into him. He cried out and fell to the ground, his cape in flames. Vesta herself was close behind, aiming a flying kick at his head while he was down.

But the man was too quick. He caught her with his legs and twisted her around, slamming her head-first into the ground. He rolled backwards and was on his feet before Vesta could get her bearing. Tossing the charred cape aside, he lunged at Vesta and grabbed her from behind. She heard him laugh as he started to slowly choke her. In desperation, she jammed her white stiletto heel through his shoe. He cried out in pain as his toes broke, and she took advantage of his surprise to break free and elbow him in the gut.

Limping, he roared in anger and summoned another orb of white light to attack her, but the effort was cut short by Juno, who came in from behind and knocked him to the ground with a back roundhouse to the jaw. The green senshi pinned his chest under her knee and punched him hard in the face. She got a few blows in before he caught her fist and twisted her arm. Juno recoiled in pain, and he used his momentary advantage to roll over on top of her and land several punches of his own.

Vesta had recovered by this point and tackled him, knocking him away from her companion. While he was stunned from the blow, Juno grabbed him by the collar and flung him against a wall. His head cracked against the hard crystal, and he slid limply to the ground.

Vesta reached down to pull back his hood. She wanted to look her adversary in the face before she killed him.

But instead of his eyes, she was met with two blinding hollows of white light. A horrid shriek issued from his throat as his whole body lit up with a golden aura. The earth heaved, and suddenly the two senshi were in the air, and the whole world was pain and radiance.

Juno crashed through the ceiling of one of the few crystal towers that was still standing and bounced across the faded oak parquet that had once been the floor of a dining room. For a few seconds the pain and shock of the fall numbed her senses, but then she cautiously sat up, testing her body. Amazingly, she had escaped any major injuries. Vesta had not been so lucky. She had landed on a fallen chandelier, and one of the decorative crystal spikes had impaled her shoulder. Juno cringed in spite of herself. She had never seen so much blood. But Vesta's ragged breathing assured her that her fellow senshi was still alive... for now.

Suddenly the pale sorcerer was in front of her. By the time she saw him, he had already lashed out with a crushing kick to her chest, knocking her back to the ground. Another ball of impossibly bright light gathered in his hands and expanded until it filled his outstretched arms. And then he hurled it at them.

The giant sphere of energy came barreling toward them, tearing up the floor and the ground in its wake. The two senshi were powerless to defend themselves against the blast, which simultaneously smashed them into the ground and sent wave after wave of psionic energy coursing through their bodies. It was the worst pain Juno had ever experienced, and she abandoned all dignity and screamed without restraint. Vesta was too weak to scream and could only manage a garbled moan, praying for the solace of unconsciousness.

Juno thought she probably had passed out for a moment. She lay limply on the ground, sickened by the dull, throbbing ache in every nerve and self-disgust at her own weakness. It was a battle just to force her eyes open; even the dim glow of twilight was painful after the torture of light she'd just been through. But terror won out over discomfort, because she knew the man was coming for her.

When she looked up, he was standing over her. And suddenly, Juno knew she was going to die. His face, cool and emotionless, filled her vision, framed by the broken fragments of the palace that represented everything the senshi had worked to build for the past thousand years. He raised his palm, summoning his power to deliver the final blow.

_No,_ she thought suddenly. This was wrong. This wasn't Crystal Tokyo. They had known it was an illusion, and yet all this time they'd been fighting as if it were real. In spite of reason, her mind had accepted the ground beneath her feet, the image of the ruined city, and the pain of the wounds she had received as truth.

"It won't end like this," Vesta whispered. She understood too. They would not break out of this trap if they kept playing by its rules.

"This is _not_ our future!" Juno declared. Her voice rang out with more strength and determination than she'd thought herself capable of in this battered state, and that vigor seemed to spread through her body. She found herself on her feet again, and in spite of the grave wound in her shoulder, Vesta stood up beside her. The sorcerer took a step back, rage and disbelief on his face. He launched another volley of energy bolts at them, but the senshi paid him no heed.

"Let's go home, Juno."

"Yeah."

Suddenly, they felt a snap. The strangling bond that had held them suddenly broke, and they only realized afterwards that they hadn't been breathing. The turbulent sky split open, the angry sorcerer vanished, and the desolate mirage around them dropped away as they finally opened their eyes.

* * *

Calomel dodged another burst of flame from Carnelian's arm-mounted blowtorch, then used a quick blast of ice to counter the round of mini-rockets her opponent launched at her. She went on the offensive, summoning a small hailstorm over the whole arena. The tiny chunks of ice did little to damage the armored robot. Having determined that blindness was Calomel's greatest weakness, Carnelian rolled to the side and dashed around her, attempting a stealthy knockout punch from behind. Calomel was confused at first, but the true purpose of the hail soon revealed itself--the metallic ring of the ice striking Carnelian's body gave away her location. She spun around just in time to block the punch, although the force of the blow still knocked her back. From the ground, she aimed another blast of ice at Carnelian's knees...

On the sidelines, Pyroulusite's eyes darted back and forth, following the ever-shifting battle with growing excitement. Carnelian was everything he'd built her to be and more. But the real surprise was Calomel. He had expected Carnelian to make short work of her. True, she was not winning, and had been focused on defending herself for most of the match. But she was clever and adaptive, using her powers as tools of strategy rather than her usual style of mindless attacking. For once, Pyrolusite did not have such a hard time believing that they were related.

Suddenly, Carnelian simply stopped.

"What are you doing?" Calomel asked, exasperated. Carnelian had produced a small fan apparatus from her wrist and began cooling herself. "You can't just quit! Fight me seriously!"

"I cannot. I am at the limit of my operating capacity," Carnelian replied.

"Well I'm not!" Calomel protested, stomping her foot. The effort of that motion was enough to knock her over, and she collapsed to her knees.

"That's enough for now," Pyrolusite said. "You're exhausted. And her weapons systems have to cool off or she'll melt."

"I'll cool her off, all right!"

He looked at her with mild surprise. Sweat was dripping down her face, and her shoulders were heaving as she gasped for breath, but there were vigor and determination in her voice that he had never heard before. She pushed a loose clump of blue hair back from her face and levered herself to her feet.

"Maybe later," he said. He looked from his sister, who was so exhausted she could barely stand but still demanding to continue the fight, to Carnelian, composed and pretty as ever and calmly refusing. "Calomel. You win this round," he decided.

"...I do?" She sounded genuinely surprised.

"Yes. And I think somebody needs an attitude adjustment."

Carnelian nodded obediently. "My temperament controls are located under the panel at the base of my neck. Shall I shut down so that you can re-calibrate me, Sir?"

Pyrolusite smiled. This was why he loved robots.

* * *

Home-made posters printed on cheap copy paper covered every available surface at Crystal Juuban Public School. They were plastered over walls, lockers, windows, bathroom stalls, and even the ceiling. When Minazaki Tomoe fell asleep in class yet again, someone taped one to her head. Stray papers littered the floor everywhere and piled up in the corners, until students were literally wading through them as they walked down the halls. And staring at them everywhere they went was one girl's face.

"Souga Miruki-san. She's in your class, right Usagi-chan?" Hotaru noted, examining one of the posters.

Usagi nodded in affirmation. "She was absent for a long time, and then she was reported missing."

A few seconds later, Chino Takashi came tearing down the hall as fast as his skinny legs would carry him, kicking up a fresh flurry of paper in the process. He skidded to a stop in front of Hotaru and greeted her hastily. "Hello, Tomoe-san. You noticed my poster?"

Hotaru tried not to look contemptuous as she glanced at the sea of white. "It was... hard to miss."

"If you have any information at all, please call the police! It isn't like Miruki-chan to run off without telling anyone. I'm sure she was kidnapped or something!" Chino spoke so rapidly that his words ran together, and the girls could barely keep up with what he was saying. He looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"Why didn't anyone realize she was missing right away?" Usagi wondered aloud.

"She was supposed to be visiting her grandparents in Nagoya over the weekend," he explained. "Nobody realized she was gone until they called the next morning asking why she hadn't arrived. They'd thought her train was just late." Chino swallowed hard. "Then they spent almost a month searching for her up there, until they figured out that she never got on the train in the first place, which means she disappeared here in Tokyo..."

The girls exchanged furtive glances as the same unpleasant idea occurred to both of them. Of course, it could be just a coincidence--even pristine and peaceful Crystal Tokyo wasn't one hundred percent crime-free--but Miruki had vanished right around the time the Moirae had made their presence known. Suddenly, Usagi remembered the bizarre events on her first night as SailorMoon: the mysterious screams, the alley full of flower petals... a trail of evidence with no logical resolution, as though she had stumbled upon a crime scene but hadn't been able to find the crime. And it had happened the day before Miruki had stopped showing up at school.

Hotaru told Chino that they would keep an eye out for Miruki. He thanked them and left to hang up more posters. When he was out of earshot, she turned to Usagi.

"Do you suppose _they_ had anything to do with this?" she asked in a low voice.

Usagi pursed her lips. "I may have a lead. Let's go after school and check it out."

* * *

_Sunshine, glorious sunshine._ Vesta had rarely taken the time to appreciate it before, but when she and Juno emerged from the dusky nightmare-world of Petalite's illusion into the clear air of a fully intact city, she took a deep, slow breath, savoring the warmth and light that surrounded them.

And then the pain caught up with her. Petalite's illusion had been more than just a cruel trick played on their minds. Somehow, the injuries inflicted on them there had manifested on their physical bodies. In a way, it made her feel a little less foolish to know that they had been in real danger, that the entire epic battle they'd just fought hadn't been a mere figment of their imaginations. But if the realization soothed her wounded pride, it did little for the rest of her.

Dizzy, she slumped down against the wall of the alley they stood in, and groaned as sharp pain shot through her wounded shoulder. Juno, hovering worriedly over her, was in slightly better shape, but clearly battered as well.

"You've lost a lot of blood already," Juno said. "We have to get you to a doctor."

Vesta shook her head and forced herself to stand, ignoring the renewed rush of dizziness that washed over her. "We have to get to the princess," she insisted. "We have to warn her..."

"Don't be stupid," Juno retorted bluntly. "That spike went clean through your shoulder. You're in no condition to be walking around! I'm going to find a phone and call 110--"

"No. Civilians will ask too many questions." Vesta coughed and staggered forward, intending to go with or without her comrade. "I'm sure the queen can heal me once we report to her."

"You won't make it!" Juno argued. She caught Vesta, who was swaying, and wrapped the other girl's good arm around her own shoulders to support her, trying to reason with her all the while. "Even the Silver Crystal can only do so much! The hospital is closer, anyway."

Vesta glanced sideways at her, a faint grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Juno, one thing you're going to learn about me is that I'm incredibly stubborn."

Five steps later, she collapsed. Her transformation unravelled in a shower of red sparks as she hit the pavement.

Juno let out a resigned sigh. "Not stubborn enough to overcome the laws of nature," she chided her unconscious friend. She tapped her brooch to revert to her civilian form, then scooped her up bridal-style. For a moment she was surprised at how light the girl was, even when she was dead weight in her arms.

"Don't you die on me..." she muttered, heading for the hospital as fast as she could.

* * *

Moros tapped her fingers impatiently on the arm of her throne as Hypnos approached. He paused in a shallow, but graceful bow and waited for her to acknowledge his presence.

Moros waited a calculated second before she spoke, giving him just enough time to begin running a mental catalog of all the things he might have done to incur her wrath. When she did address him, her words were brief and toneless.

"How is the search for the Golden Crystal going?"

The way she phrased such questions always struck Hypnos as odd. There was no implied threat, no assumption that he was purposely being lazy. He knew Moros was not a particularly patient person, but in spite of her many efforts to make herself intimidating, she did not talk like a dictator accustomed to being feared. She demanded results, but in an almost naive way, like a spoiled young princess who found it inconceivable that anyone would not want to please her.

"We've been searching everywhere for it, my queen," he replied. "We lost track of it after it disappeared from the Crystal Palace. Endymion and Serenity must have caught on to our plan and hidden it somewhere."

Moros's thin fingers tightened on the arms of her throne. "How would they have found out? Are you suggesting that we have a mole?"

"That's... there's no evidence of that, my queen. Calomel sent a monster to distract them while we tried to infiltrate the palace. It's possible that when they detected it, they moved the crystal to a more secure location."

A crease formed in her forehead. "Very poor planning on your part."

"My deepest apologies." Hypnos bowed again, with all appropriate mortification.

Moros relaxed, though her displeasure was still evident. "Your error is forgiven. Just hurry and bring me the crystal." Once again there was no threat attached, as though the fact that she was upset was enough to motivate anyone to work harder. She was unnervingly calm as she added, "Kill anyone you have to in order to get it."

"Of course, my queen."

"And what of your partner?" There was an sudden sharpness in her voice that made the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

"Aether has been observing the sailor soldiers as well as helping me in my search."

Moros seemed satisfied with his report, but her eyes were distant, preoccupied with some other worry. Her moods were as unfathomable as Aether's, Hypnos thought, and that was saying something.

"Very well then, you are dismissed. Keep working hard."

Hypnos departed with his usual fluid elegance, his shadowy cape closing around him and quickly melting into the larger blackness of the corridor. Long after he faded from sight, the young queen continued to stare into the darkness with an expression of detached bitterness.

"I won't forgive anyone who tries to deceive me," she whispered.

* * *

"So this is where you found the flower petals?" Hotaru asked. They were standing in a narrow, shaded alley not far from the Crystal Palace. So far, they hadn't found anything that looked suspicious, and Hotaru couldn't help but wonder if the screams her friend claimed to have heard weren't just the product of fear and an overactive imagination. But Usagi wasn't normally one to jump to conclusions about things like this.

Usagi nodded as she scrutinized the area for evidence. "They looked kind of like cherry blossoms. I thought it was strange since it was pretty late for them to be blooming," she recalled.

"Look!" Hotaru exclaimed suddenly, pointing to the ground. "Footprints!" She leaned down to get a closer look, and frowned at what she saw. "_Bloody_ footprints. And a trail of blood drops."

Usagi gulped. "Let's follow them."

Peering at the ground, the two made their way along the street. They had gone a few hundred meters when they reached a larger splatter of blood on the ground. Usagi cringed involuntarily and turned away.

"Hmm... the footprints end here, but the drops keep going," Hotaru noted, thinking out loud.

"Did the person stop and clean off their shoes somehow?" Usagi wondered.

Hotaru tapped her chin, lost in thought. "Maybe a criminal killed someone and fled, then stopped to remove his shoes so they wouldn't leave a trail." She paused and shook her head. "That wouldn't make sense though... why would someone only clean their shoes if the rest of them was still dripping blood?"

"Suppose the footprints are the victim's own," Usagi reasoned. "It wouldn't have to be a crime. Maybe he was injured in some sort of accident. But that still doesn't explain why the prints stop here, or what that big spot is."

Hotaru bent down to study the reddish stain on the pavement. "This kind of looks like the shape of a person's side," she realized. "Someone was covered in blood, and fell..."

Usagi had a sudden epiphany. "There were two people! One of them was badly injured, and these are his footprints--"

"Her," Hotaru corrected upon examining the treads more closely. "These are women's shoes."

"These are her footprints. She walked this far, and then collapsed. Then her companion carried her the rest of the way."

Their eyes followed the trail up the street toward a tall, squarish building. "The hospital!" Usagi said. "Let's go!"

* * *

Ten minutes later, Usagi and Hotaru arrived at the hospital. "Excuse me," Usagi said to the nurse behind the lobby desk. The young woman pushed a pair of thick turtle-shell glasses up the bridge of her nose and peered up at them. When she recognized the princess, she immediately put on a bright smile.

"Good afternoon, Your Highness," she greeted, her voice rising with unnatural cheer. "How can I help you?"

Usagi was slightly annoyed at the woman's forced attitude, but tried not to let it show. "Could you tell me if any... unusual patients have been admitted today?" she asked. She didn't want to ask outright if there had been any youma attacks. They were still trying to keep their recent battles out of the public spotlight. Privately, Usagi disagreed with her mother's decision to shelter her people from the knowledge that their city was under attack. Serenity meant the best, as always, but Usagi thought they deserved to know the truth. They would be frightened, but maybe they should be. And if they knew, they could help at times like this.

But then again, everyone in Crystal Tokyo thought of the senshi as their invincible, infinitely benevolent saviors. Their confidence had been shaken once, momentarily, with the senshi's defeat during the Black Moon's attack (which Usagi couldn't help but feel was largely her fault.) And fear could make people do crazy things. As her mother had once pointed out, it was lack of faith in the senshi that had lead the rebels to join Wiseman in the first place. For now, Serenity insisted, it was for the best if the senshi bore the burden alone. Usagi respected her mother enough to uphold that decision in spite of her own misgivings.

The clerk frowned thoughtfully. "Unusual patients? Can't say that I've seen anything too out of the ordinary."

"To the extent that things are ordinary in a trauma center, anyhow," an older nurse next to her added.

"Well, has anyone come in with a particularly severe injury?"

The young nurse shook her head, her short black hair fluttering around her face. "I'm sorry, but to tell you these kinds of thing would violate patient privacy, and I can't do that. Not even for you, Princess."

Usagi sighed. She'd expected as much, but she was still disappointed that her only clue had lead them to a dead end. The girls thanked the nurse and left.

"Don't worry," Usagi reassured Hotaru, the words of comfort as much for her own sake as her friend's. "I'm sure Souga-san will be found safe and sound. In the meantime, there's no need for us to be jumping at shadows."

"Yeah," Hotaru agreed, trying to put on a cheerful face for Usagi's sake.

"But still... it's hard to relax knowing that she's in danger." Usagi turned to her suddenly. "Hotaru-chan, I think we should get the senshi involved."

The dark-haired girl paused to consider that. "I doubt Venus and the others will have time for a case like this. Right now they're so concerned with palace security that they barely sleep. But maybe the queen will let us handle it. If it really does involve _them_, this might even lead us to--" Here she paused and glanced around to make sure no one was listening before continuing, "the Golden Crystal."

"She's our classmate. Of course we should be the ones to handle it." Unconsciously, Usagi ran her fingers over her brooch as she made a vow: "We won't rest until we find her."

* * *

Petalite carefully rearranged the pile of broken threads in her hands, muttering curses all the while. She hadn't expected them to escape this quickly. Perhaps Pyrolusite had been right when he had told her she could keep them trapped longer if she created a pleasant illusion. But she had wanted them to see that future. She wanted them to know the desolation and despair she had known.

Tiptoeing distastefully around several grimy puddles, she made her way across the cavernous room to where a young schoolgirl lay unconscious on a steel table. The girl was cold and limp, but still breathing in shallow gasps. The bluish tinge of the flickering fluorescent lamp that provided the only illumination in the basement only emphasized her deathly pallor. Petalite brushed the girl's cheek with her long nails and clucked her tongue in disappointment. "I really shouldn't have expected Thread of Life from a weak girl like you to be able to hold a sailor soldier," she sighed.

Behind her, the caged doors of a rusty old utility elevator rattled open, and her two daughters stepped out.

"Thanks, Ripidolite. I can find my own way from here," Calomel said.

"Suit yourself." The taller woman disappeared back into the elevator.

Calomel made her way across the basement, stumbling a couple of times over bits of trash that littered the floor. (Pyrolusite must have been down here hunting for scrap metal again, she thought. The slob always left a mess when he was working on a project!)

"You're late," Petalite stated flatly.

Calomel ducked her head sheepishly. "Sorry..."

"Anyway, I need you to repair this girl's Thread of Life." Petalite placed the strands in her daughter's hands.

Calomel frowned, realizing what that meant. "Your Spirit Weave was broken?"

"Yes," Petalite said through clenched teeth. "Those two senshi escaped my illusion." She hated being reminded of her failures. But she knew Calomel meant no harm, so she tried to keep her temper.

"Hmph. That sucks. Well, don't worry, I'll get revenge on them too once I'm back in action!"

"Oh?" Petalite said, and Calomel couldn't tell whether the lilt in her voice indicated surprise or doubt. "You seem to be more enthusiastic lately, Calomel."

"Maybe." A pale blue aura lit up around Calomel's hands as she got to work. As she concentrated, the silvery threads rose up in a coiling mass, floating as if suspended underwater, and aligned themselves end to end. With a flash the light liquefied, scattering into glowing blue drops that coated each strand with a fine mist. Tiny beads of blue energy gathered around each break, and frayed ends began to knit themselves back together as the healing began.

* * *

The chatter in Room 10 reluctantly died down, and the students rose and bowed dutifully as Mr. Sunahara entered.

The teacher, a slight, mousy man with gaunt cheeks and thin hair that had once been black but was now about half gray, peered at them over the rim of his heavy spectacles. He smiled briefly when his eyes fell on Hotaru, who already had her notebook out and was poised for the lesson to begin. But his smile faded when he saw Minazaki Tomoe in the next row, fast asleep and drooling on her desk. "Will someone kindly wake up Minazaki-san?"

The boy next to her obliged with a swift poke in her ribs, and the girl sat up with a startled cry. "Eee! Sorry!" she squeaked, making a futile attempt to catch up to her classmates by standing, bowing, sitting, and taking out her notebook in the span of two seconds.

"As you all know, today you will be splitting into groups to do your chemistry lab," Mr. Sunahara began, trying not to make his weariness evident. "But first, I would like to introduce a new transfer student. Please welcome Kanzaki Akako-san."

A tall, exotic-looking girl with brilliant scarlet hair stepped in from the hall. Her deep ruby eyes scanned the classroom as she bowed and began to introduce herself. "It's nice to meet you all. My name is Kanzaki Akako, and I'm from..." She hesitated, then shrugged. "Well, it's difficult to say where I'm from, because I recently lost my memory." She laughed, seeming as if she were not at all bothered by this fact. "No worries though, I'm sure it'll come back to me eventually! Anyway, please show me around!" Murmurs went up around the room as she bowed and took her seat in an empty desk a few seats behind Hotaru.

Once the commotion died down, the teacher instructed them to find their lab partners. The students quickly formed up into groups of three or four. Hotaru hovered at the edge of the crowd, wondering if she would be ignored as usual.

Akako was quickly encircled by would-be partners, most of them male. "Hey, one at a time, boys!" she teased, laughing. She glanced over at Hotaru. "It looks like Tomoe-san still needs someone to work with," she suggested, hoping to divert some of the attention.

One of the boys snorted derisively. "I'm sure she can do the lab on her own, since she's so smart. And it's not like Sunahara-sensei would ever give her a bad grade."

Hotaru sighed. _It's the same as always._ She gathered up her things, resigned to work alone.

"Umm... Tomoe-san? Can I be your partner?" a small voice asked. It was Minazaki. The girl shuffled uncomfortably, peeking up at Hotaru through a veil of shaggy brown bangs. "No one else wants to work with me, because science isn't exactly my strong point," she explained, biting her lip. Her eyes grew wide and desperate. "But I promise I'll try really hard! Even though I don't really understand everything! Okay?" The last word was more of a plea than a request, and she accentuated it by clutching at her classmate's arm in a manner that was a bit too friendly for Hotaru's comfort.

As much as she dreaded the thought of having Minazaki for a partner, Hotaru couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity--and empathy--for her. Besides, it would be hard to do the lab alone.

"All right, let's work together."

"Yay! Thank you so much!" the girl chirruped, literally jumping for joy.

"Mind if I join you two?"

Hotaru looked up in surprise to see Akako. "You mean you don't have a partner?" she asked, glancing at the crowd of heartbroken boys on the other side of the room.

Akako shrugged. "I have high standards for my partners, see. And word has it you're smart. What do you say?" She leaned across the desk, resting her chin on the back of one hand coquettishly.

In spite of herself, Hotaru felt vindicated. "Sure, you can work with us if you like," she said, relieved at the prospect of a third party to dilute Minazaki's ineptitude. Even if said party was invading her personal space and making her quite nervous with that intense stare she was giving her.

"All right! Now I won't have to do as much... I mean, now there's three of us, so it'll be easy!" Minazaki cheered.

The students lined up and marched across the hall to the lab room. Hotaru's group found a station in the corner and set to work. They decided that Akako would perform the delicate experiment, Minazaki would take notes, and Hotaru would do the calculations and explain to them what it all meant.

"So... you really lost all your memory, Kanzaki-san?" Minazaki asked, regarding their new classmate with wide-eyed fascination.

The red-haired girl nodded as she adjusted the flame on their Tirrill burner. "I woke up in a hospital bed with no idea how I got there. Apparently some strange person brought me in, but vanished afterwards before the staff could ask any questions. I don't know if I have any family, but no one came looking for me. All I remember is my name. Right now I'm living on my own, trying to find someone who can tell me about my past."

"Gosh, that must be tough!" Minazaki's understatement was almost comical.

"I'm get along all right," Akako said. "Apparently there were two hundred thousand yen tucked in my pocket when I was brought in, so my hospital bills are paid for!" The other two girls gawked at her.

"It seems strange though," Hotaru remarked. "I would think whoever brought you in would at least stick around until you woke up."

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. "Eek!" Minazaki squealed, backing away from the graduated cylinder she'd accidentally knocked off the table. "Uh, I hope we didn't need that."

Hotaru and Akako groaned in unison. This was going to be a long lab session.

* * *

At last, after nearly an hour of tedious spell-weaving, the girl's Thread of Life was whole again. With a shuddering sigh, Calomel allowed it to drop back into her palms. Conjuring youma or summoning destructive blasts of ice was easy, but this kind of spell always took a lot out of her.

"Good work," Petalite told her with an approving nod.

"Wait," Calomel said as her mother reached for the thread. She ran her fingers along the length of it. "It's so... short."

"That's not our concern, Calomel," Petalite admonished.

"Souga Miruki, from Juuban," Calomel whispered, the soft blue glow returning as her fingers read the girl's fate encoded in the gossamer yarn. "She was born with an unknown heart condition, and will die at age 26... Mother, we can't just put it back inside her, knowing that!"

"We can't interfere with her fate."

Calomel crossed her arms. "That's not fair! Aren't we changing our own fates?"

Though Petalite's eyes narrowed in anger at Calomel's disobedience, she had no answer for that argument. In the moment she hesitated, Calomel made a quick twirling motion with her finger, adding several inches to the end of Miruki's thread. "Let's consider it a return on her investment," she reasoned.

Without a word, Petalite snatched the thread from her daughter and laid it on the girl's chest. She made a few quick, intricate gestures with her hands. The thread rose up briefly, coiled itself into a complex knot, and spiraled downward, absorbing into her body. Miruki inhaled sharply and stirred. As Petalite watched, her body warmed and color began returning to her face.

"Well," she said, bending down to scoop her up. "Best to get her home before she comes to."

* * *

"So the reason we had to dry out and seal the container first is because water is a protic solvent, and even the relatively small amount of water vapor in the atmosphere could cause errors..." Hotaru explained. She trailed off, noticing the blank look in her partner's eyes.

"Sorry, but I have no clue what you're talking about," Minazaki admitted.

"Water in the air makes the reaction not work," Hotaru summarized.

Minazaki yawned and collapsed back onto the bed she was sitting on. They were in Akako's hotel room, trying to finish their lab report. The room was a small but tidy space that was temporarily serving as her home until she either found her family or at least managed to locate an affordable apartment.

The brunette fingered a faint coffee stain on the garish bedspread and sighed. "How much more do we have?"

"Just the analysis and conclusion, so let's hurry and finish," Hotaru said, trying to sound encouraging. 

Akako, seated at a desk across the room, finished typing something on Hotaru's laptop and stood up. "I've got the graphs done," she reported. "Have you answered all the questions yet?"

Minazaki gave her an apologetic smile. "We're getting there."

They were interrupted by several loud knocks on the door. Akako got up and squinted through the peephole. "There are a couple of strange people outside..." she said with a slight frown.

"Hotaru-chaaan!" two unmistakable voices called out from the other side of the door.

Hotaru's face brightened, though she looked puzzled at the same time. "Oh, they're my friends."

Akako opened the door, and Usagi and Atena stepped into the room without hesitation, bringing a large pizza box with them.

"You must be the new transfer! We heard you were studying with Hotaru-chan, so we came to meet you," Atena said, smiling up at Akako. "Kanzaki-san, right? I'm Itokuri Atena."

"And I'm Tsukino Usagi! Yes, I am the princess. Don't freak out, okay?"

The two bowed. "It's nice to meet you!" they chorused.

Akako seemed overwhelmed by their energy (not an uncommon response when dealing with Usagi and Atena, who seemed to exponentially enhance one another's hyperactive tendencies.) "It's nice to meet you as well," she replied, slowly backing away from them.

"We have brought tribute!" Atena added, holding up the pizza box with a flourish and laughing at her own silliness.

Minazaki jumped up, enticed by the delicious smell. "All right, food! Why don't we take a break and eat, guys?"

Seeing that Minazaki and Akako were completely distracted, Hotaru gave up on finishing the report for the moment. "Food sounds good. Maybe we'll be able to focus better if we're not hungry," she reasoned, hoping her partners would catch the hint. But Akako was busy clearing a space on the desk for the pizza box, and Minazaki was introducing herself to Usagi and Atena.

"Hey... you and Hotaru-chan have the same name! Sort of!" Atena observed.

"Yeah! It gets really confusing, so everybody in class just calls me Minazaki."

Meanwhile, Akako had fixed Usagi with that same unblinking stare she had given Hotaru back in the classroom. "So, Tsukino-sama..." she began, taking a step toward Usagi. Her tone of voice was completely innocent, but somehow Hotaru imagined she saw something predatory in the girl's smile. Instinctively, Hotaru stepped between the two, standing protectively in front of her best friend.

"Hotaru-chan?" Usagi queried, puzzled by her behavior.

Hotaru blinked, coming to her senses. "Ah, I... excuse me," she apologized quickly. She slipped past Akako and pretended to be fascinated by something outside the window. But she felt compelled to keep glancing at the red-haired girl's reflection in the glass.

_Oh, what am I doing? I'm probably just getting jealous again..._ Hotaru mentally chastised herself, and tried to dismiss the incident.

"Does anyone want drinks?" Akako asked. "I saw a vending machine down in the lobby."

"We'll go get them!" volunteered Atena and Minazaki, who seemed to have become good friends in the past two minutes.

When the two had left, Akako excused herself to go to the bathroom. With a deep sigh, Hotaru settled herself onto the bed and tried to calm her inexplicable jitters.

Usagi came and sat beside her. "Actually, Hotaru-chan, we had another reason for coming here," she said in a low voice. "We were hoping to discuss our latest case."

Hotaru nodded. "I figured as much. But there's something else I think we should talk about too."

"Hmm?"

"Well, that is... what do you think of Kanzaki-san?" She chose her words carefully, trying not to sound like she had some sort of unreasonable fear of their new classmate. Even if that were a little bit true.

"I don't know, she seems nice. Why, did something happen?" Usagi asked, looking concerned.

"No, not at all," Hotaru said quickly. "I'm not sure what it is, but I just feel strange when I'm around her."

"Strange as in... sensing an aura?"

"Maybe. She does have red hair, and she's about the right age," Hotaru said, catching Usagi's drift. That _would_ make everything fall into place, she thought.

"Do you think we should call Seresu-chan?"

Hotaru deliberated, then shook her head. "Let's just keep an eye on her a little while longer. Or at least wait until we finish our report."

Two seconds later, Akako came flying out of the bathroom with a panicked scream. A loud bang shook the building, and a huge plume of fire issued forth from the bathroom door. Usagi and Hotaru jumped up and formed a wall between Akako and the beast that emerged: a faceless hulk with four arms that seemed to be made of molten lava. Thick black smoke billowed from its head, and globs of burning goo dripped from its body, setting off small flames on the hotel room carpet.

_Damn!_ Usagi thought. _At this rate, the whole building will burn down! We have to transform..._

Hotaru seized her arm. "Don't," she whispered urgently. "It's not safe for you to compromise your identity. I'll handle this one alone."

"But..." Usagi started to protest.

"Saturn Crystal Power, Make Up!" Hotaru shouted.

The monster was lumbering toward them, engulfing everything in its path in flames. Saturn released a quick attack at it, mostly to test its reaction. It stumbled momentarily, but kept coming. She frowned. This one wouldn't go down easily.

Usagi decided to trust her for now, and knelt down beside Akako, who was huddled against the wall, coughing from the smoke. "Hang in there," she urged. "Sailor Saturn is here to rescue us." She was still hoping for the slight chance that Akako had been too scared and distracted to notice Hotaru's transformation.

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than Saturn came sailing across the room and hit the wall, landing with a groan next to Akako.

"Are you sure?" the redhead asked doubtfully.

Saturn ignored the comment and got back up to attack once more. She swung her glaive to cut off one of the monster's arms, but the blade sank into its liquid magma body and got stuck there. She barely dodged a punch from one of its other hands, and kicked it in the chest to knock it away and free her glaive. It worked, but Saturn wound up with a burn on the sole of her foot. Limping, she retreated a few steps.

Suddenly Usagi--or rather, SailorMoon--was beside her, lending her an arm to lean on. The taller girl smiled apologetically. "I couldn't let you fight alone. Don't worry, I got Akako out through the fire escape."

"Your tiara is gone! How are you going to fight?" Saturn protested.

"I'm working on that part."

Saturn scanned the room and spotted a fire extinguisher hanging by the door. The tiny canister seemed a meager defense against the inferno, but it was better than nothing. She nudged SailorMoon and gestured toward it with a jerk of her head. "I'll keep it occupied," she whispered.

Moon nodded in understanding and began creeping along the wall. Saturn raised her glaive horizontally, gripping it with both hands. A shockwave rippled outward from the weapon, and Saturn's hair and skirt fluttered as if lifted by a sudden breeze. SailorMoon's skin prickled as all the light and sound in the room seemed to dim, drawn into the tip of the Silence Glaive. No matter how many battles she fought with Saturn, she could never hold back a slight chill when she witnessed the death senshi's powers.

For a moment all that could be heard was the hollow, unnatural reverberation of Saturn's voice as she whispered, "Silence Glaive Objurgation."

The explosion of energy that issued from Saturn's glaive was itself completely invisible, but its effects were anything but. Carpet was torn up, a lamp splintered, the bed overturned and smashed into the far wall. A roaring sound filled the room, and Moon had to claw her way over to the fire extinguisher against the incredible wave of pressure.

When it was over, she almost expected not to need the extinguisher. But the monster was standing there completely uninjured. All Saturn had accomplished was to push it back a step or two.

"No way!" Moon groaned. The monster's head flopped about, like a dog shaking off water, and it took another swipe at Saturn. Moon watched in horror as her friend was thrown across the room and smashed into the desk that stood in the corner. Saturn gasped in pain as a sharp corner gouged her ribs. She doubled over, winded, and sank to the floor.

In spite of everything, she was somewhat relieved to see that the laptop containing their lab data had not been damaged... yet.

With an angry shout, SailorMoon charged at the monster, opening the valve of the fire extinguisher. Chemical foam coated one of the thing's arms, dousing the flames, and for a moment she thought her last-ditch plan was working.

Then, suddenly, the fire extinguisher clicked and stopped working. It was empty.

The monster let out a deep, rough growl, the sound of boulders grating together. Its two left arms lunged, wrenching the metal cylinder from her grip and deftly bending it in half before flinging it out the window. Before Moon could react, it grabbed her wrist and flipped her hard onto the ground. It wound up for a finishing blow, but she managed to roll out of the way before it could smash her head beneath its fist. Coughing from the thick smoke, she crawled to relative shelter behind a chest of drawers that had fallen on its side. Saturn found her there and the two huddled together defensively.

The monster's fiery touch had melted right through SailorMoon's glove, and the skin beneath was badly burned. Dizzy with pain and lack of oxygen, it took her a moment to realize that the end of one of her ponytails was on fire. _So much for the avocado treatment!_ She struggled to beat out the flames with her good hand. Saturn reached out to heal her, but there was no time; the monster had shaken off all the foam and ignited itself anew. Now it was advancing on them with clearly deadly intentions.

"Stop right there," Akako's voice came, low and determined, from behind them. She had climbed back up the fire escape stairs and was standing on the edge of the window, fists clenched, illuminated by a deep red aura. "You will _not_ hurt my friends!"

"I knew it!" SailorMoon whispered excitedly.

"Vesta Star Power! Make Up!"

A burst of flame surrounded the newly awakened soldier, and Usagi and Hotaru had to jump away to avoid being scorched. When the fire dissipated, their new comrade leapt down between them, her red sailor fuku glowing like live coals. Vesta grinned, her trademark dangerous smirk now directed at the monster. "At the risk of sounding cliche, let's fight fire with fire!" She pulled her arm back and conjured a fireball. Saturn grimaced and edged away as the flames threatened the edge of her skirt. Vesta needed to work on handling her powers safely around others...

"Vesta Flamethrower!"

A white-hot stream of fire shot from Vesta's hand and slammed into the monster, pinning it against the opposite wall. It struggled against the onslaught, but she only laughed and increased the intensity of her attack. The room was growing hotter by the second, and Saturn staggered, feeling faint from both the temperature and smoke. With one final burst of power, the entire back half of the room exploded in one massive flash-over. Saturn and Moon dove behind the overturned bed in terror, but Vesta only watched with a satisfied expression as the monster's remains--and most of the furniture--crumbled into ashes.

After a cautious second, SailorMoon poked her head out from their shelter and smiled up at Vesta. "Um... Nice work!" she congratulated their new teammate.

As they were crawling out, SailorCeres appeared in the doorway. "My, my, what a mess!" she fussed. "It would seem you've already taken care of things... Goodness!" She stopped short as her eyes fell on the newcomer. "Vesta! We've found you at last."

Vesta smiled slowly. "You're Ceres, right?"

"That's correct. SailorCeres, Soldier of Abundance, and the leader of the Quartet!"

Vesta laughed and nodded jovially. "Of course! Who could forget?" She turned back to Saturn. "So, is this the whole team?" she asked, gesturing at the group.

"There's also Pallas," Ceres answered, clearly a bit irked that Vesta seemed to think Saturn was in charge rather than her. "Speaking of which, where is she?"

"She went downstairs to get drinks," Saturn explained. "We didn't get a chance to call her, so she probably has no idea there was even a battle."

"Typical," Ceres muttered under her breath. "Well, anyway, it's just the five of us for now; we haven't found Juno yet."

"And then there's our caped friend," SailorMoon reminded them. She glanced at the window. "I was almost hoping he'd show up today..."

That caught Vesta's interest "Who, now?" she asked.

"He's a mysterious ally who watches over us. He always wears a cape and a tuxedo," Moon explained. Saturn made a face. She had her doubts about whether the man was an ally, but decided not to reopen that discussion at the moment.

Vesta frowned. "It's not a black cape, is it?"

"No, it's white. Why?"

"Never mind," Vesta said, shrugging it off. "So this guy, he helps you in fights?"

"Well... now that I think about it, he hasn't yet. Usually he shows up after the fight is over," Moon admitted.

Vesta snorted. "Not much of an ally."

Secretly, Saturn was pleased to see Vesta displaying some common sense. But she could tell Moon was getting upset, so she tried to steer the conversation away from the mysterious stranger. "Anyway, it's good to have you on the team, Vesta," she said, and the others added their agreement.

Ceres noticed the worried look on Moon's face and squeezed her shoulder. "I dare say you don't need a man to protect you, when you've four wonderful guardians who would stand by you through anything."

Moon cheered up a little. "Yeah. Thanks, Ceres." _But still,_ she thought. _I can't help but wonder why he doesn't show up in time to help. Is he really our friend?_

Just then, the wavering wail of a fire engine sounded below. SailorMoon gulped as she saw firefighters pouring into the building. "Quick, we have to get out of here!"

The four senshi hastily clambered out the window and up onto the roof. From there, they hopped across building tops until they had reached a safe distance, then shimmied down a gutter drain to the safety of a quiet cul-de-sac. There were lights on in a few of the houses, so they didn't feel safe enough to de-transform, but at least they probably didn't have to worry about being arrested for arson.

"Oh no!" Saturn cried out suddenly.

"What's the matter?" askes Ceres.

"Pallas is still back at the hotel..."

* * *

"I'm not happy, Petalite," Moros declared, fixing her servant with a stern glare. The pink-robed woman, already on her knees, bowed even lower. Her silken hair spilled over her shoulders onto the slate floor, vibrant magenta streams against hard, impassive gray. The contrast only served to emphasize the cold, dim atmosphere of the room.

"We've already deviated from our scenario by three sailor senshi." Moros leaned forward on her throne so that her face was inches from the other woman's. "_Three_ senshi, Petalite, when none should have awakened. Your failures are going to make my life very difficult."

A hint of amusement could be heard in Petalite's voice, though her head remained bowed. "Actually, my queen, there are only two: Pallas and Ceres," she corrected. "Not counting Moon and Saturn, of course, but as we both know they're a different case entirely."

Moros raised an eyebrow. "Aether just informed me that Vesta has appeared."

Petalite's only reply was a cold smile.

* * *

"Wonderful," Ceres grumbled sarcastically. "You realize that this means Atena-chan and Minazaki-san are going to be left in a burned-down hotel room with an armful of soda and a lot of explaining to do."

"We have to go back for them," Moon decided.

Saturn nodded in agreement. "Let's find a place where we can change back, and we'll go find her."

They had walked a short way when they noticed that Vesta wasn't following. She was standing in the center of the circular street with her back to them, seemingly lost in thought. The sun was beginning to set, and the blue shadows of twilight just obscured her face.

"What's the matter, Vesta?" Ceres inquired, hesitantly reaching out to her.

"It's a shame Pallas isn't here," Vesta said, without turning around. "I really would have liked to meet her." There was an unsettling lilt in her voice, and the other three senshi unconsciously huddled together. The red soldier chuckled, a mirthless sound that sent shivers along Moon's spine.

In a flash, Vesta's sailor fuku burst into flames, and with a fierce shout she swung her leg up to connect with Ceres's jaw. By the time the other girl hit the pavement, her clothes had completely burned away, revealing a suit of red, high-tech polymer armor over a robotic body.

Her arm broke apart, then reassembled itself into a rocket launcher, which she pointed at the two remaining senshi, all the while looking the princess straight in the eye with that calm, appraising, leer.

"Goodbye, SailorMoon," she said, and fired.


	9. Deception

The tip of Atena's nose smudged the glass as she scrutinized the selection of drinks within. A rainbow of corn syrup and artificial flavors beckoned her, and it was hard, so hard, to choose just one. Behind her, Tomoe fidgeted impatiently. She had narrowed it down to three when a rapid beeping sound from her pocket cut into her deliberation. Without looking, she recognized it as the senshi distress signal.

She thought quickly and swiped her card through the drink machine's scanner several times, feigning frustration. (Nowadays, nearly everyone used the government-issued, DNA-verified "Crystal Cards" to make purchases, and coin or paper money was mostly a novelty. But even in the 30th century, vending machine technology had yet to fully catch up to the trend.)

"Drat! It's not reading. I'm going to go complain to the manager," she told Tomoe.

"Okay, I'll come along!"

Atena shook her head. "Um, no! Please stay here and... make sure nobody buys my Salty Plum Fanta! Okay?" Without waiting for an answer, she rushed out of the lobby.

"I don't think we have to worry about that," Tomoe muttered with a disgusted expression. But Atena seemed very concerned about it for some reason, so she sat down against the wall and waited as patiently as she could.

~*~

"Look out!" Saturn cried as Vesta—no, the robot—fired on Sailor Moon. She made a diving leap and pushed her out of the way, taking the rocket intended for her.

"No! Saturn!" Sailor Moon screamed as her friend disappeared behind a blast of flame and smoke.

~*~

Slowly, struggling against the nauseating ache that seemed to weigh down every part of her body, Souga Miruki opened her eyes. After a few blinks, the familiar, chipped beige plaster of her own ceiling came into focus. Still not quite able to move, Miruki wondered foggily how she had gotten here. The last thing she remembered was that she'd been walking home alone, and had taken a shortcut...

Suddenly, for reasons she couldn't explain, she shuddered. Her mind was warning her not to follow her memory down that shadowed road. That same deep instinct told her that consciousness was a very precious thing. Yes, her last thought had been that she must not pass out. But why?

She gingerly eased herself into a sitting position and looked out the window. The late evening sun slanted over the rooftops, painting the cul-de-sac with the warm hues of sunset. A few early cicadas hummed in the distance. Everything seemed perfectly normal—the neat row of cookie-cutter houses and apartment buildings, the blue crystal-lattice fence around the neighbor's yard, the block of mailboxes at the end of the driveway, the three girls in miniskirts battling a flamethrower-wielding robot.

_Wait... what?_

In an instant, Miruki sat bolt upright and stared wide-eyed out the window, all aches and pains forgotten as she took in the scene on the street below. The mysterious Sailor Saturn, a senshi normally seen in public only a few times a year, was battling a monster right in front of her house. And she wasn't alone, either. There were two others in pink uniforms who she didn't recognize, though the distinct style of their outfits suggested that they were from the Solar System, or at least somewhere in the Gould Belt. She squinted at one of them, who sported a cone-shaped bun hairstyle that seemed strangely familiar. Was that… a moon symbol on her forehead?

_No way!_ she thought _It couldn't be! Sailor Moon is just a legend._ But five minutes ago, any Solar senshi other than the seven they knew had been just legends too. Either those two were here from another star system, or she had just uncovered a huge conspiracy. Either way, this was big news.

She scrambled to the closet and fished in her school bag for the camera she used for the school's newspaper. It wasn't there. That troubled her, because she was sure she'd put it right there last time she had used it. But there wasn't time to worry about that now. She gave up, grabbed a notebook, and began scribbling in shorthand, trying to capture every detail of what she was witnessing.

~*~

The impact of the rocket and the explosion that followed would easily have killed a normal human. It was only a small energy shield, conjured at the last second, that saved Saturn's life.

She skidded, rolled into a backward somersault, and somehow landed on her feet. Quickly regaining her balance, she pulled out her glaive and rushed the robot, thrusting the deadly point at its midsection. The robot calmly reached out and caught the blade with one hand, which brought the attacking senshi to a lurching halt. With a twisting motion, she wrenched the weapon from Saturn's grip, injuring her arm in the process, and pulled her in close to knee her in the chin.

Saturn hit the asphalt with a painful cry and stayed down. Ceres was sprawled beside her. Sailor Moon wouldn't offer much resistance with them out of commission. It had been a short fight, Pyrolusite thought with a smirk as he stepped out of the shadows. His little sister had done better than the three of them. Granted, Calomel had only been up against the alpha-stage test, while they were facing the fully-trained, finished product at its highest possible aggression setting.

The pink-haired senshi spotted him and backed up a step. He snickered. "You disappoint me, Sailor Moon," he taunted. "Not only with your weakness, but with your stupidity."

"Who are you? What do you want?" she asked.

He ignored her question and continued to advance on her. The dying sunlight glinted off the robotic enhancement on his left arm. He wiggled his fingers, making a delightful little click-click sound, a cross between a ticking clock and a rattlesnake. She tried to place herself between him and her fallen friends, which only amused him more. As if she could protect them. "Aren't _they_ supposed to be _your_ guardians?" he said with a sneer. On the ground, Sailor Saturn winced, a moment of weakness that did not escape his attention. So he'd hit a nerve.

He stopped beside the robot, and clapped a hand on her shoulder. It was a heavy-handed touch, showing neither the gentleness of a lover nor the protective care of a father, but the pride of a craftsman. "Of course I knew Carnelian could defeat you in battle. But I thought perhaps one of you might at least notice she was an android. You people in Crystal Tokyo are so naïve. All I had to do was sneak her into the hospital and pass her off as an amnesia victim. Everyone felt so sorry for her, they didn't ask too many questions. Getting her into your school was, if possible, easier still. You even accepted her as a sailor soldier, because she had magic like yours." His arrogant grin broadened. "But it wasn't magic, and it won't be bested by magic. This is the power of science!"

Moon shook her head in disbelief. "So the whole time, Akako was…"

"I suspected as much," Saturn admitted with a grim smile. "But why did the monster—" She broke off with a groan as the truth became clear. "Akako was controlling the monster, wasn't she? That's why she was the only one who could defeat it."

"How can we win against her if she's that powerful?" Ceres wondered.

Pyrolusite decided he had basked in their despair long enough. He stepped back, motioning for Carnelian to finish them off. The robot tossed Saturn's glaive aside and calmly took aim. A low rumble filled the air as her flamethrower charged up. Sailor Moon braced herself, prepared to take the blast to protect her friends.

"Get out of the way!" Saturn cried. With the last of her strength, she heaved herself to her feet and tried to push Moon aside. But she was too late. A jet of searing flame boiled forth from the robot's arm…

And was deflected by a wall of white cloth.

Saturn heard Sailor Moon gasp. She cautiously opened her eyes, wondering what had saved them from a fiery death. She too drew a sharp breath when she found herself face to face with the man in the white tuxedo.

"It's you!" they said in unison, Moon's voice excited, Saturn's filled with suspicion.

He nodded, a slight smile on his face. He was holding out his cape to block the fire. Saturn could feel the heat prickle on her skin even from several feet away, yet both garment and man remained unscathed. After a few seconds, the flames died down and he let it fall behind him with an elegant swish.

"Don't be deceived by an illusion and lose hope," he told the senshi as he turned to face an astonished Pyrolusite. "Anyone can appear strong when she's in control. But real strength shines even in adversity."

Pyrolusite and Carnelian took a few steps back, glaring daggers at the man. Now the senshi could see that Carnelian's arm was warped, melted from its own heat. Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Saturn dashed to retrieve her glaive. No sooner was it in her hands than Carnelian's true intentions became clear. The android sprinted in a circle around the senshi and the man, her metallic legs pounding against the pavement like a jackhammer. The speed of her movement created a small whirlwind, forcing the group closer together. Faster and faster she ran, until her image began to blur and the sound of her footsteps was a jarring buzz.

Then, all of a sudden, she stopped. More precisely, twelve of her stopped. A row of identical Carnelians surrounded the group in a tight ring. Like mirror images, they smiled and advanced inward in perfect unison.

Ceres voiced their collective confusion. "What the…?"

Deciding that their situation couldn't get much worse, Saturn struck at the nearest Carnelian with her weapon. To her surprise, the blade passed right through the robot's body.

"This one's a fake!"

Ceres's attack met a similar outcome. "This one too!"

Moon frowned, her eyes moving up and down the row. Every one seemed identical. _This is no good… which one's real?_

As if in response to her distress, Diana's voice sounded from her comlink. "Is everything all right, Small Lady? Pallas told me you might be in trouble."

"Big trouble!" Moon squeaked. "It's the enemy. We're surrounded!"

"Oh my!" Diana paused, thinking hard. A moment of inspiration seized her. "Your tiara might be gone, but you have your Moon Stick. Can you attack with that?"

It was worth a try. Sailor Moon summoned the crescent-shaped wand and held it high.

"Moon Luminous Exaltation!" she shouted. Pink light converged in a glowing ring at the tip of the wand, then burst out in all directions. The ring of Carnelians flickered and vanished.

Ceres looked around the empty cul-de-sac in puzzlement. "They were all fakes? Then where—"

Saturn tensed suddenly. The others followed her gaze skyward just in time to see the real Carnelian diving at them, her body engulfed in a huge fireball.

~*~

Minazaki rocked back and forth on her heels and checked her watch for the umpteenth time. Atena had been gone for nearly ten minutes now. She amused herself by punching random buttons on the drink machine. To her surprise, the machine emitted a short chime and displayed the message, "Transaction Valid," on the small screen above the keypad. She frowned. That was strange… hadn't Atena said it wasn't working?

"Aieee!" came a shout from a nearby stairwell. "Not good, not good!"

No sooner had Minazaki peeked around the corner to investigate than a short, blue-haired sailor senshi in a light blue uniform came charging down the hall. Minazaki stared open-mouthed as the girl rushed past her and out the front door.

She was still in shock when two firefighters and a policeman emerged from the same stairwell. "Hey," one of them called to her. "Did you see a girl in a blue skirt go by just now?"

Minazaki blinked, and blinked again. After a few seconds, she snapped out of her daze. "Awesome!" she exclaimed. Her heart skipped with excitement. _A real live sailor senshi! And not one of the ones I've seen on TV, a brand new one!_ Forgetting the soda and the question she'd just been asked, she ran off in pursuit of the mysterious girl.

The police officer shook his head. "Kids these days…" he muttered.

~*~

"Silence Wall!"

Once again, Saturn's defensive magic deflected Carnelian's onslaught in the nick of time. The android slammed into the translucent force field with a loud crack and rebounded several meters before crashing into the pavement. The fire around her sputtered and died as her flamethrower gave out completely.

Saturn gave the caped man a faintly smug look. "Don't be deceived by an illusion, huh?"

Their would-be rescuer coughed into a gloved hand, looking embarrassed.

But their triumph was short-lived. Carnelian jerked to her feet awkwardly, like a marionette, and marched toward the senshi once more. Behind them, Pyrolusite cracked his knuckles and dropped into a menacing crouch. If his creation wasn't going to take out the senshi on her own, he'd have to take matters into his own hands. He _hated_ having to do things for himself. The human body was so... crude and inefficient. He had long believed that people only did things on their own because they weren't smart enough to build a machine that could do the job better. The sailor senshi had done more than damaged his favorite project. They had insulted his genius, and he would make them pay.

Little miss rabbit-head spun to face him. He flexed his mechanical arm, and the hydraulics responded with a satisfying hiss. Yes, he'd consider this a field test for his other favorite invention.

Sailor Moon felt Saturn's back press against hers, felt the tightening in the smaller girl's shoulder blades as she braced for Carnelian's attack. Beside her, Ceres vacillated between the two threats. The caped man stepped in front of her, shielding her from whatever Pyrolusite had up his sleeve, and in spite of the danger a giddy blush rose to her cheeks. She gave her head a small shake and reminded herself that even if she had a handsome stranger protecting her, she was a senshi and should be perfectly capable of defending herself.

Unfortunately, said handsome stranger was also blocking her view. She heard Pyrolusite's metal fingers clicking together and shuddered. Cautiously, she edged out from behind the caped man, craning her neck to see what their adversary was up to.

At that moment, Pyrolusite and Carnelian lunged in unison. Ceres barely managed to duck the robot's attack, and countered with a knife-hand chop to her ribcage that ended up injuring her hand more than her opponent. Catching Carnelian off balance, Saturn pinned her head to the concrete between the points of her glaive.

Opposite them, Pyrolusite was grappling with the stranger. The Moira's mechanical arm gave him an edge, and he soon overpowered the other man, slamming him into the ground. Sailor Moon grabbed him from behind and made a pathetic attempt to pull him off. Pyrolusite barely glanced at her as he backhanded her. The force of the blow lifted her feet off the ground, and she went tumbling backwards. Through a haze of pain, she heard Saturn's worried cry. She sat up, bruised and disoriented, only to have the stranger's limp form come crashing into her, courtesy of Pyrolusite.

That moment of distraction would cost Saturn. Carnelian rolled sideways, oblivious to the blades biting into her plastic neck, and kicked her captor in the gut. She got to her feet in a flash and wound up to punch Saturn, but Ceres caught her wrist in one of her looped pigtails and yanked it tight.

"It's a slipknot. These things aren't just for decoration, you know," Ceres explained at Saturn's surprised look. Carnelian struggled, and she grunted in pain, but the hair-noose held. She kneed the robot in the back, aiming for her kidneys… but Carnelian didn't have any. Without so much as flinching, she retaliated by flipping Ceres over her shoulder. The next thing Ceres knew, she was face-down and winded on the pavement. She heard Saturn attack Carnelian, followed by a shout and a thud as her friend was felled by the same technique. For a moment, consciousness threatened to desert Ceres, but she would not allow herself to succumb. Carnelian was standing over them, and unlike her master, the android would not pause to gloat…

Sailor Moon felt Pyrolusite lift the man off her. She heard the mechanical arm clench, followed by soft choking sounds.

A sudden, wordless terror sprang from the deepest part of her heart and forced her to her feet. Though she still didn't know the stranger's name, in that moment he was as precious to her as life itself, and her only thought was that she could not let him die. Even before her vision had fully cleared she sprang at Pyrolusite.

The cocky inventor was so intent on snapping his enemy's neck that he didn't even notice Sailor Moon until she was upon him. With a rough shout, she jabbed the blunt end of her wand into the elbow joint of his robotic arm, forcing it between the metal plates until she felt the crunch of gears jamming and fluid lines tearing. The contraption trembled, let out a sputter and a clang, and seized up. Pyrolusite roared in pain and frustration. The caped man slipped from his grip and fell into Sailor Moon's outstretched arms. She eased him to the ground, then rose and faced Pyrolusite, eyes burning with a vengeful rage that seemed out of place on such a pretty, innocent face. Out of place, and disturbingly familiar.

Behind them, Ceres sat up. Her back hurt. Her face hurt. Everything hurt. And now her hairstyle was lopsided. Channeling her frustration into willpower, she stood and faced Carnelian with an angry shout. Her body lit up with a pink aura, and a swirling torrent of flower petals exploded around her.

Carnelian raised her half-melted arm and tried to fire a mini-rocket. It got stuck in the launcher and exploded, burning the plastic "skin" off the side of her body and leaving her arm a twisted hunk of metal. She looked back at Ceres, her expression never changing. Her artificial mind could not comprehend despair. And so she gathered data and evaluated non-existent options the way she'd been programmed to do, right up to the moment of her death.

"Amazones Bouquet Twister!"

A storm of glowing petals poured from Ceres' outstretched palms, surrounding Carnelian in a beautiful, deadly cloud of gold. An intense pink flash illuminated the cul-de-sac. Moments later, Carnelian dropped in a mangled heap.

Pyrolusite growled through clenched teeth when he saw his prized creation fall. He tugged in vain at the wand jamming his mechanical arm. Sailor Moon stepped toward him, one hand raised in a commanding gesture, and the elegant golden crescent atop the weapon began to glow. Frustration turned to panic. He tripped backwards in his rush to get away from her. The force of his landing finally managed to shake the wand loose from his arm, but it was too late to escape.

Perhaps it was the look of fear on his face that shook her, or perhaps it was the realization that her mother would never have sought vengeance over reconciliation, but for whatever reason, Sailor Moon stopped short. She shook her head, as if coming out of a trance, and ceased her attack. "No," she said softly. "It doesn't have to be like this."

Saturn held her glaive at the ready with one hand, but the other she extended toward Pyrolusite. "We don't want to fight with you," she told him. "Open your eyes. You're smart enough to see that what you're doing is evil."

Sailor Moon nodded. "There's something better than the life you know. Come with us. You can start over."

For a split second, Pyrolusite stared at them in disbelief. Then he threw back his head and laughed. "Idiots," he said with a sneer. "I don't need your pretty words or your so-called redemption. You're the ones who will be begging me for mercy in the end!" From inside his jacket he produced a tiny orange capsule. "But you won't be shown any," he hissed. With those ominous words, he shattered the capsule on the ground, unleashing a thick cloud of choking black smoke. While the senshi coughed and staggered around in confusion, he hoisted what was left of Carnelian over his shoulder and fled. By the time the air cleared again, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, perfect. Now we've let him escape," Ceres groused, rubbing her watery eyes.

"Ceres," Saturn admonished. "Have you forgotten your own past?"

The look of shame on Ceres's face made it plain that she had not. No one spoke the names, "Cere-cere" or "Mistress Nine" or "Black Lady" (actually, no one ever mentioned Black Lady—Usagi didn't seem to remember any of that fiasco, and her friends wanted to spare her the knowledge of what she had done under Wiseman's influence) but their presence hung in the air like malignant spirits.

Even so Ceres argued, "How many chances can we afford to give him? Innocent people are going to get hurt because we let him escape."

"We'll protect them," Saturn vowed.

"You couldn't protect Souga-san."

The other two senshi winced, and Ceres immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry," she sighed, feeling suddenly weak as her own doubts surfaced. "It's just… it will be on our shoulders! I'm not sure I can live with that. Can you? Did we… did we do the right thing?"

"Yes," a voice from behind them replied. The stranger in the white tuxedo (which was now grey with soot and grime) had recovered and was back on his feet. "No one will fault you for believing in second chances."

Ceres looked doubtful. "I'll fault myself if anyone else disappears."

"There's no proof those guys were involved with Souga-san's case," Moon reminded her. In truth, she strongly suspected they were, but she wanted to make Ceres feel better. It didn't seem to work.

"If the people of Crystal Tokyo are in danger, I'll help you protect them," the man assured them. He bowed and turned to leave, but Saturn's hand on his arm stopped him.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Not who you think I am," he replied cryptically.

Saturn's hold on him did not loosen. "I think you're pretty suspicious. And I think I'd like to know your name."

"Since you did save my life, I suppose I owe you that much. It's Pegasus Kamen." He plucked his arm from a startled Saturn's grasp. As the senshi watched in awe, a pair of feathered white wings unfurled from beneath his cape.

"Adieu!" he called as he rose into the air. Just then the sun slipped below the horizon, and the deepening shadows of dusk embraced him until he vanished from sight.

"Pegasus, hmm?" Ceres repeated. She and Saturn exchanged meaningful glances.

"Could it be? Helios…" Moon breathed, casting a longing glance in the direction Pegasus Kamen had departed. Her heart skipped in delight at the possibility of being reunited with her childhood friend. But why was he being so secretive?

Saturn frowned, lost in thought. "Maybe. But I still don't trust him," she said at length. "He could be using that form to trick us."

Ceres nodded in agreement. "For all we know, he could be the one behind everything. Isn't it pretty convenient that he's always right there when the enemy appears?"

"Well, so are we," Moon pointed out in his defense.

"Sailor Moon," Saturn said gently. "Sometimes strong feelings can cloud a person's judgment."

"First you say he's not our ally because he never helps us, and then when he does help us you say that makes him suspicious!" Moon protested, her voice rising with her temper.

"All right, I'm not being fair," Saturn conceded. "Because I have strong feelings too."

Sailor Moon couldn't stay angry at her friends, especially not when Saturn gave her that look. She let the subject drop without another word. For now.

Ceres turned her thoughts to something they all agreed on. "This attack was no coincidence. That man and his robot specifically targeted Saturn, _before_ she transformed, and used her to get to Sailor Moon. You realize what this means, of course."

Moon nodded. "They know who we are."

We have to find Vesta and Juno," Ceres declared. "Before the enemy does."

~*~

Osaki Junko was mesmerized.

Even lying unconscious on a hospital bed, with a dark bruise forming on her cheek and matted scarlet hair clinging to her brow, Vesta's civilian form was striking. Normally a sailor senshi's transformation augmented her beauty, but Junko thought this girl was even more stunning out of uniform. (Not that there had been much chance to notice while they were fighting for their lives.) Her deep olive complexion was smooth and perfect. High cheekbones sloped gently down to a small, rounded chin and full lips. Wide, slanted eyes were framed by dark lashes that made them seem even larger.

It took Junko a second to realize those eyes were wide open and staring at her.

"Juno?"

"Junko," she corrected quickly, with a hushing gesture. The last thing either of them needed right now was the mob they were sure to get if some nosy staff member got wind that there was an unknown sailor senshi in their midst. For one, she was an introvert by nature and abhorred being the center of attention. And common sense told her that revealing themselves now would invite far too much unfounded speculation about why new senshi had appeared, where their loyalties lay, how they had been injured, and exactly how much information the royal family was withholding—questions for which Junko herself had no answer, questions that would ultimately lead to mass panic. Thankfully, her senshi title happened to be close enough to her civilian name that most wandering ears would dismiss it as a slip of the tongue.

"Where am I?" the girl croaked.

"At Crystal Hiroo Hospital," Junko replied in her best attempt at a soothing tone. "You passed out."

"Ugh. I remember now. How long have I been here?"

"They had you in the bio-stabilizer for four hours. Then they transferred you down here where you slept for another six. And by the way, I told you so," Junko couldn't resist adding. The pretty redhead—she still didn't know her name—gave her an annoyed look in reply. Junko chuckled, knowing that if things were the other way around, she'd probably have been just as adamant, and fared just as badly.

"How about you?" the girl asked. "You were in bad shape too."

Junko made a pooh-poohing gesture. "They hooked me up with some of those healing stimulants. I'm good as new. Oh, by the way, did you know that it's almost June?"

"What?" the redhead exclaimed. "But that would mean we've been gone for over a month."

Juno nodded. "I know. There must have been some kind of time distortion inside the illusion."

The girl reached out and clasped her wrist with sudden urgency. "Have you been to see the princess?"

"No, I was waiting for you to wake up."

"Go. First things first," she insisted.

Junko shook her head. "I can't just leave you here."

"I promise not to go anywhere until you get back," the girl said, with a rueful glance at the plastic hospital bracelet fastened around her wrist.

"All right," Junko said reluctantly. She crossed the room to an open window and peered out over the pale, glossy rooftops that reflected the starlight. "Think I'll take the quick way out."

In her hands appeared an orb of translucent viridian glass, laced with brown mineral veins reminiscent of tree branches or jagged lightning, and engraved with her asteroid's glyph. Closing her fist around it, she murmured her henshin spell. A cloud of green sparks surrounded Junko's body, and when they cleared, Sailor Juno stood in her place. After pausing on the sill to give her friend one last stern look, she sprang over the edge, landed on an awning below, and disappeared between Shibuya's gleaming crystal spires.

~*~

Though nightfall provided him some cover, Pyrolusite's ragged breathing gave him away as he dragged Carnelian's limp body through the shadowed back streets. Carrying her would have been no problem with his arm enhancement, had Sailor Moon not reduced that to yet another dead weight. For once he almost regretted not spending a little time working out with Ripidolite.

At the edge of his vision, a flash of green and white caught his attention. He turned in time to see a tall, boyish-looking girl in a green sailor suit leap across the gap between two buildings. Pyrolusite couldn't believe his luck—whether it was good or bad, he wasn't sure. One thing was certain: he was going to need backup.

With great reluctance, he reached under the high collar of his duster and pressed a button on a tiny, round pin. The pin was his link to the Moirae's "Cyber-Psionic Communications Network," (or as Calomel had affectionately named it, "Saichuu,") a system that used a fusion of ancient magic and modern technology to create a sort of computer-facilitated telepathy. He only used it as a last resort, not only because it emitted a distinct energy signature that would attract the attention of any senshi or magically attuned person for miles around, but because he was none too eager to talk to the person on the other end.

_What do you want, Pyrolusite?_ Ripidolite's dry, impatient voice inquired.

_Have enemy in sight_, he thought back. _Requesting backup._

He sensed her rolling her eyes. _All right, I'll send a golem to the nearest drop point. And use complete sentences, moron. This is telepathy, not a telegram._

After the link closed, he grumbled under his breath. Though he was capable of cohesive and even eloquent speech, it was not something he accomplished without a conscious effort. Unlike his sisters, who had inborn magical capabilities, he was unaccustomed to anyone else having access to his mind, and he preferred to keep his thoughts short and unruffled. But this was Ripidolite, who frequently barged into his room uninvited and then complained about his taste in decorating (or lack thereof.) It should be no surprise that her manners in the psychic realm were not much better.

He flipped open a panel on the back of his wrist, and a tiny LCD illuminated with a map of his current location. At least that part still worked. Presently a blip appeared over a nearby street corner, indicating that Ripidolite's transfer was ready. Hoisting Carnelian over his shoulder once more, he hurried toward it.

~*~

For all the hardships that came with being a sailor soldier, it did have its perks, and the ability to clear a thirty-meter gap between rooftops without breaking a sweat was Juno's favorite. Soaring four stories off the ground, she looked down and savored the thrill.

Halfway to the other side, she saw a thorny tendril burst through the pavement. It coiled around her leg, and it was only by incredible luck and a split-second reaction that she was able to throw her momentum forward enough to grasp the opposite ledge. The vine tugged, digging into her skin. She struggled to hang on. Senshi or not, falling that far was bound to hurt, and Juno decided she had already broken enough ribs this week. Triceps straining, fighting for every inch, she finally managed to fling one arm up over the wall that encircled the roof. The vine pulled hard, nearly causing her to lose her grip. Survival instinct took over and she thrashed. She emitted a weak jolt of electricity from her entangled leg—until now she hadn't realized she could do that—and the vine loosened for a second.

Then it pulled even tighter, and a second one shot up to join it. Glancing downward, Juno saw a pod rising from the hole in the asphalt, like a bulbous, eyeless, green head. It split open to reveal a glistening maw of thorns, dripping with purple sap that gave off the most horrible stench she'd ever smelled. Another jerk of the vines, and she was hanging by her fingertips. The pod opened wider, eager to receive its meal.

Suddenly, a blade of ice cut through the vines around her leg. The plant pod hissed and started to retreat into the ground, but a second blast skewered it. Juno's fingers slipped off the edge, but someone's hand reached out and caught her wrist. Heart pounding, she scrambled back up to safety, and found herself looking at a familiar face.

"Hi, Juno!" Pallas greeted her with a sunny smile.

Juno heaved a sigh of relief. "Boy, am I glad to see you." She glanced down at the monster's remains, which were now a shriveled brown mess, and gulped. "Thanks. If you hadn't shown up just then… I don't know what I would have done."

"Died, probably," Pallas deadpanned. Juno laughed.

They walked together at a more subdued pace down a concrete staircase that descended to the street. "So, do you know where the princess is right now?" Juno asked.

"I dunno. In the Crystal Palace, I guess," Pallas said hesitantly. She scrunched her nose, thinking hard. Suddenly her face brightened. "Hey, I bet Sailor Moon would know! C'mon, I can take you to her."

Juno gave her a perplexed look. "Sailor… Moon? Pallas, there hasn't been a Sailor Moon for over nine hundred years."

"She's our leader, silly!" Pallas giggled.

"Wait, you mean Sailor Chibimoon?" Juno asked. Hadn't Pallas just said she didn't know where the princess was?

Now it was Pallas's turn to look confused. "Who's Chibimoon?"

"You know… rabbit hair, pink uniform, goofy laugh… our leader?" Juno prompted. Surely her companion wasn't _that_ air-headed.

"Oh!" Pallas exclaimed, her face lighting up. "Yeah, that's Sailor Moon."

"You mean she's become Sailor Moon now? Awesome," Juno said with a grin. "I always thought she would someday." She paused, frowning again. "But why did you say she would know where the princess is?"

Pallas wavered. "I, um, just thought she would. You know, cause she's smart."

"Are you feeling all right, Pallas? Sailor Moon _is_ the princess."

Pallas froze, eyes wide with utter disbelief. Slowly, her face twisted into a wide-eyed, maniacal smile. Juno backed up, certain now that something wasn't right.

With a blood-curdling scream, Pallas sprang at her.

~*~

Crouched behind the cobblestone fence of a nearby condo, Pyrolusite looked on as "Pallas" turned on Juno. Perfect. Everything was going as planned, a welcome change from his previous encounter with the senshi.

Until a small gloved hand clapped down on his shoulder. Pyrolusite's head turned with a shuddering jerk, as if his neck had rusted. He found himself face to face with the real Sailor Pallas, and she looked none too happy at having her identity borrowed.

_This is not good._

~*~

Shocked and bewildered, Juno barely managed to evade her companion's assault. "Pallas, what's wrong with you?" she cried. Was her friend being brainwashed by the enemy? Or… Juno recalled the two child-like beings who had attacked them inside Petalite's illusion. But Pallas seemed so human, and she had saved her from the monster. Could that really have all been a ruse?

The cluster of thorny green vines that burst from the girl's back were her answer.

With an angry shout, Juno unleashed her magic. "Diamond Storm!"

A crackle of lightning sheared off the end of the vines, but they grew back rapidly. Soon they had completely enveloped the false Pallas. Now the golem's true form revealed itself: a grotesque female shape made entirely of twisted briars, with thorny claws for hands and fat tentacle-like vines where legs should be.

At least a dozen vines lunged for her in unison. Juno leapt out of the way and crushed one under her heel, then fled across the street before the rest could close in on her. The creature extended its arms to grab her. The claws seemed to miss, plunging through the concrete instead. But seconds later, they emerged from below, right in front of her. Juno skidded to a stop and doubled back, scarcely avoiding the briar golem's leg-vines again. She ran for her life, dodging and weaving across the street, with the thorny hands bursting from the ground unpredictably all around her.

Then, all of a sudden, the hands lurched to a stop, grasping ineffectually at the air. In its rush to catch Juno, the briar golem had woven its limbs into the ground so tightly that it could no longer move. Seizing the chance, Juno changed directions and charged straight for her foe.

Before it could untangle itself, the senshi's thunder-charged punch connected with its jaw, tearing its head clean off. Its massive green body collapsed with a crash that shook the building. Within moments it shriveled into the same brown mess as the first plant monster.

When she was positive it was dead, Juno let out a sigh of relief and pretended she'd planned the whole thing.

~*~

For once, Pyrolusite reacted without thinking. He swung the dead weight of his metal arm at Pallas, catching her squarely in the side of the head. But the short, chubby soldier was more agile than he'd expected. She rolled to her feet, rubbing her face in pain, and countered with a blast of ice aimed at his legs. He dodged easily and closed the distance between them. The most important thing was not to give her any breathing room to power up her stronger magic. He had not forgotten that this was the girl who had blinded his sister.

Carnelian's battered body was laying in the corner, concealed behind a neat row of yew shrubs that lined the west end of the yard. Pyrolusite placed himself between Pallas and the robot's remains, determined not to let the senshi destroy what was left of his work. He grabbed a flowerpot and flung it at her. She slid between his legs and came up behind him as the unfortunate decoration shattered against the opposite wall.

That gave her enough time to call on her senshi power. "Gossamer Veil!" she chanted.

He whirled and raised his arm in time to block the shimmering mass she shot from her hands. It wrapped around his arm and started creeping up toward his shoulder. He tried to brush it off, only to find that it stuck to his hand and made a mess of trailing, gooey filaments when he tried to pull away.

But instead of struggling more and becoming trapped as she intended, he used the stuff to his advantage. He sprang at her and grabbed her face with his sticky hand. She kicked and struggled, but couldn't free herself. He bashed her head into the wall. She let out a muffled scream and went limp.

He pried her off with his foot and let her unconscious form fall into the bushes beside Carnelian. Without its creator's energy to sustain it, the goo on his arm soon dissolved. Pyrolusite smirked. Their magic, dependent on such a fragile thing as the will of a teenage girl, was easily broken.

The self-satisfied feeling didn't last long. A bolt of lightning from behind narrowly missed his head. Pyrolusite spun, skin tingling with adrenaline and residual static.

"I'm Sailor Juno, the Soldier of Bonds," his adversary introduced herself. She cracked her knuckles as she advanced on him. "You're goin' down, punk."

"I already know who you are," Pyrolusite said. He added in a mocking tone, "Punk."

The girl shouted something in English that he didn't understand and threw a punch at him. She was much faster than Pallas, but also much more predictable. He evaded the hit. Her fist slammed into the wall with a crack, dislodging one of the smooth river stones. She picked it up and hurled it at him. He dove to the side just in time to avoid having his face smashed in. There was a loud crashing sound behind him. Narrowing his eyes at Juno, Pyrolusite reached for what he thought was the stone.

His fingers brushed sharp plastic and severed wire, and he realized with horror that it was Carnelian's head.

No sooner had he gotten up than Juno swung at him again, landing a glancing blow to his jaw. He stumbled backwards into the hedge. She seized him by the collar, but he grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it in her face. She released him, swearing loudly and rubbing her eyes. His steel-toed boot connected with her gut, and she dropped to her knees, doubled over in pain. He kicked her one more time to make sure she stayed down for a few seconds.

Arrogant though he was, Pyrolusite knew he wouldn't win this fight if he stayed to finish it. Before Juno could get up, he scrambled over the wall and fled, carrying Carnelian's head with him. There wasn't time to grab the rest of her body, but he had the most important part.

Out on the street, he activated the Cyber-Psionic network again. "Ripidolite! Teleport. Now."

She grumbled under her breath. _All right, the nearest stable location is in the parking lot of the Crystal Azabu Supermarket by the subway station. I'll have it up by the time you get there. You don't need to speak out loud, you know._

"Shut up," he snapped. Tucking Carnelian's head under his arm, he broke into a sprint. Behind him, Juno was back on her feet. He didn't waste any more time looking back.

Halfway over the wall, Juno hesitated, eyeing the unconscious Pallas. Was this one real? It didn't seem right to abandon a wounded ally. But if this was another fake, Pyrolusite might have left it deliberately to trap her.

Either way, Pyrolusite was getting away. She decided she would come back for Pallas later, after she caught him. With one last glance back at her maybe-friend, she set off in pursuit.

~*~

Minazaki peered up and down the street, searching. At length she sighed in disappointment. She was positive the mysterious blue-suited senshi had come this way, but there was no sign of her now.

A yawn escaped her, and she realized how tired she was. It was dark already. She gulped, anticipating her mother's anger when she got home at this late hour with her homework still not done.

She froze, feeling her heart sink. Homework! She had completely forgotten her group and their science lab! Her first thought was to run back to the hotel, but they had surely finished by now, and Tomoe-san would have gone home. They probably thought she had ditched them, and there was no way they'd believe her if she told them about the senshi…

A moan reached her ears, making her pause. There it was again, behind the stone wall of a nearby garden. Frowning, she pulled herself up and peeked over to investigate.

What she saw made her forget all about her homework troubles. There were two bodies lying on the ground. One was missing a head. The other was her new friend Atena.

Minazaki screamed. In her panic she lost her grip and tumbled forward into the garden. For a moment she lay dazed. When she opened her eyes, Atena was looking down at her. She looked from her to the headless corpse, and screamed again.

Atena took hold of her frantic friend's shoulders and tried to hold her still. "Whoa, chill out! It's not a real person!"

Minazaki stopped screaming. "I-it's not?"

"Nah, it's a robot. See the wires? Just an experiment gone wrong."

The brown-haired girl heaved a sigh and appeared to calm down. "Um, are you okay?" she asked, pointing to a large bruise on Atena's forehead.

Atena touched it and winced. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She forced a laugh. "I'm a little bit clumsy."

Minazaki grinned. "I know what you mean. Happens to me all the time."

_If you had any idea…_ Atena thought, but smiled at Minazaki's attempt to cheer her up.

At that moment, they heard familiar voices calling out to them. Usagi, Seresu, and Hotaru came running down the street. Atena stood on shaky legs and greeted them.

"Thank goodness," Seresu said. "We were worried you two might have gotten hurt in the fire."

Minazaki gave her a puzzled look. "What fire?"

~*~

Pyrolusite ran for his life. He could hear Juno's footsteps behind him, growing closer with every second. She was yelling in English again, and he didn't need to know what she was saying to know she was furious. Unlike the naïve bunch he'd fought earlier, he had no doubt this senshi would kill him if she caught him.

Ahead, in the parking lot, the pale green shimmer of Ripidolite's portal promised safety. Just a little farther… Lungs raw, muscles burning, he forced himself to run faster than he ever had in his life. But Juno was still closing on him. An arm's length nearer and she would have him.

With a final, desperate lunge he threw himself forward and into the circle of light. He vanished in a flash of green, leaving Juno grasping at thin air.

~*~

"…so Kanzaki-san admitted to starting the fire, and the police came and took her in for questioning. But when they got to the police station, her mom was there! And when she saw her, Kanzaki-san suddenly got her memory back, and they were really happy to have finally found each other, and they went back home to, um, Morocco. So Kanzaki-san won't be in our class anymore," Usagi finished her long-winded (and completely fictitious) explanation.

"Wow!" Minazaki exclaimed. "Well, I'm happy for her."

"So are we," Hotaru said. "But anyway, we didn't get a chance to finish the lab, so I guess you and I will have to do it on our own."

"Okay!" Tomoe agreed, trying not to sound relieved at the alibi fate had provided her. "We can go back to my place and work."

After she and Hotaru departed, Atena smiled at Usagi. "That was pretty smooth, Usagi-chan."

Usagi laughed nervously. "I can't believe she bought it."

Seresu shook her head. "I get the feeling that girl would believe anything."

Her eyes widened when she noticed the bruise on Atena's head. "Oh my… what happened?"

Atena frowned and lowered her voice. "Had a little run-in with a bad guy. I'll give you the details later." Seresu and Usagi nodded in understanding.

"Sorry we left without you," Usagi apologized.

"Mm, it's fine."

Then Usagi noticed the robot's body lying in the corner. "Hey! Isn't that Carnelian?"

"Car-what?" Atena asked.

"We'll get everything sorted out later," Seresu said. "Let's get this thing back to the Palace. Maybe the scientists at Mercury-sama's lab could figure out what this thing's made of and where it came from."

Usagi nodded in agreement. "It would sure be nice to finally get some answers."

~*~

Pyrolusite tumbled out of the portal and dropped to his knees, gasping for breath. Though he knew it was physically impossible, he thought his chest might explode. Calomel and Ripidolite stood on either side of him, regarding him with identical smirks.

"Guess your toy robot _isn't_ more effective than I ever was," his younger sister taunted.

Pyrolusite shot her a glare, too winded to voice a retort.

"Take him to get cleaned up," Ripidolite ordered. "I've got other things to do." She spun on her heel and exited the room before Calomel had a chance to object.

Pouting, Calomel stooped and tugged on Pyrolusite's arm, dragging him painfully to his feet. Leaning on her shoulder, he limped to the infirmary.

He staggered over to a bed and collapsed onto the creaky mattress. An antiquated medical droid rolled over and began examining him. Calomel stood by his bedside, staring into the distance with unseeing eyes. He got the sense she was waiting for him to say something.

"You still want to fight the senshi?" he asked.

She nodded. "I'll destroy them all. Starting with Pallas."

"You could die, you know," he reminded her.

"Yeah," she said, with none of the fear he'd expected. "I know. I don't think I realized it before how easy it was. Dying, I mean. I always thought I'd get some kind of… warning first, or something."

He flinched as the droid applied antiseptic to a cut on his arm. "Carnelian wasn't just a weapon," he admitted.

She gasped. "You mean it really was a love doll?"

"No, you idiot!" he snapped. "She was a test of my ability to make artificial life. This is proof that I've perfected the technology." He pressed a strange object into Calomel's hand.

She ran a finger over it, a confused look on her face. It felt like an odd conglomeration of metal and wire, with a smooth piece of glass at one end.

"It's an artificial eye," he explained. "If you'll let me implant it, I can restore your vision."

"I-implant? Ew!" She recoiled and nearly dropped it.

"Is that the thanks I get?" Pyrolusite grumbled.

She swallowed hard. "Sorry, I just… would you have to take out my old eye?"

"Well, yes. It's not working anyway, so why would you want to keep it? So, will you do it?"

"I don't want to look like a cyborg!" she protested.

He sighed impatiently. "Do you want to see again or not?"

She drew a shuddering breath, unable to believe she was actually considering his proposal to let him yank out her beautiful eyes and put a pair of these… _things_ in her head. But if it really worked like he said, she would be able to see again. To reclaim what Pallas had stolen from her might be worth the cost.

A minute passed in silence. At last she reached a decision. "Fine. Just one. You can replace one eye."

Pyrolusite nodded, satisfied if not entirely pleased. "Very well."

~*~

"Three hundred percent. Our error is three hundred percent," Hotaru pronounced, staring dejectedly at the finished lab report.

"Yikes!" Minazaki squeaked. "What happened?"

Hotaru shot her a dirty look. "Somebody kept breaking all our glassware."

Minazaki wilted. "I'm sorry, Tomoe-san. Science just isn't my strong point!"

Hotaru sighed and gave her a comforting pat on the shoulder. "It's okay."

Sunahara-sensei did not agree. And for the first time in her life, Tomoe Hotaru got a failing grade.


	10. Secrets

Usagi hugged the wall, keeping her breathing shallow, willing her pounding heart to slow. The room was pitch black and silent except for the low hum that beckoned her onward. Soft and smooth as a shadow, she peeled herself away from the wall and tiptoed across the cold tile floor. Her confidence swelled with a heady rush of adrenaline as she neared her goal. Low, fluid strides carried her to the door with practiced grace. She grasped the handle and tugged it open. Light spilled forth from within…

"Aha!"

Abruptly, the overhead lights clicked on, revealing the queen standing in the doorway. Usagi froze like a rabbit in the headlights. Serenity looked down at her daughter with an expression of triumphant glee far less dignified than the regal visage she presented to the world during daylight hours. "So you're the one who's been raiding the refrigerator! At first I blamed Endymion when my chocolate pudding started disappearing overnight, but now I know the true culprit!"

Usagi shrank back, eyes darting about in search of an escape, but her mother had blocked the only exit. There was only one way out…

She snatched a plate of cookies and held it up like an offering to an angry god. "Want some?"

Serenity knew she ought to remain firm. She ought to punish this un-princess-like indiscretion. If she didn't remain a strong disciplinarian, Endymion certainly wasn't going to. She must instill in her daughter the virtues of temperance, and self-control, and boy did those cookies smell good…

She caved. "Oh, all right. Pour us some milk."

They perched on stools at the island bar in the center of the kitchen, with the platter of chocolate chip cookies and an unspoken vow of secrecy between them. Usagi took a stack of three and promised herself that was all she was going to eat… maybe. Serenity broke off small bits so she wouldn't have to count. Once again the hum of the refrigerator was the only sound in the room, other than the occasional slurp or suppressed giggle.

After a while, Serenity noticed that her daughter was staring into space, half of her seventh cookie dangling between her fingertips. "What's on your mind?" she queried, propping her elbows on the table in a manner quite reminiscent of her blond-haired past self.

"Do you remember Perle?" Usagi asked, her eyes still distant.

"Ah, yes. Who could forget?" Serenity's mind, too, drifted back to the summer before she entered high school…

~*~

For a moment, Mamoru thought a woodpecker was hammering on his doorbell. He sighed and set down his book. The ringing grew more insistent as he crossed the hall to open the door, and in spite of himself he smiled. There were only two people in this world who would be that desperate to see him, and only one of them was impatient enough to make such a scene.

He scarcely got the door halfway open before Usagi barged in. Her cheeks were flushed with exertion, and her golden hair was a frizzy mess. Had she run all the way here? He tensed with worry. Something must be terribly wrong to upset her this much…

"Has that annoying brat been here yet?" she demanded. Even as she spoke she was looking over his shoulder, searching his apartment.

She shouldn't even be concerned, really. Surely Chibi-Usa couldn't have beaten her here. She remembered passing her on the street. But the kid was crafty, and Usagi knew from past experience that it was a mistake to underestimate her.

Mamoru tried not to look as exasperated as he felt. He should have known this was the cause of his girlfriend's fervor. Few things got her as riled up as her "rivalry" with the pink-haired youngster. He couldn't understand how she could feel threatened by a little girl's affection toward him. Usagi knew he loved her, and Chibi-Usa was their _daughter,_ for goodness' sake.

"You shouldn't talk about her like that," he admonished.

That was a mistake. She blanched in horror, and her lip began to quiver. For a second he was afraid she might burst into tears.

Deep down, Usagi knew she was acting foolish. She knew Mamoru only coddled Chibi-Usa because she was a child. She shouldn't expect him to baby her, a grown woman, that way—in fact, she would have felt insulted if he did. But once in a while (okay, maybe a little more than once in a while) she needed a sign, something to let her know that she had a place in his heart that belonged to her and no one else. And it was frustrating that he didn't seem to notice… or worse, maybe he didn't care.

She seized his hand, azure eyes blazing with sudden ferocity. "Mamo-chan! Who do you like better? Me, or Chibi-Usa?"

A sinking feeling settled in Mamoru's stomach as he realized that this was one of those questions that got a man in trouble no matter how he answered. He knew Usagi was just seeking reassurance. But to tell her what she wanted to hear, he would have to look at Chibi-Usa as a woman. And that simply did not compute.

A spicy aroma wafting up from Usagi's school bag saved him. "Did you bring cookies?" he asked.

Usagi perked up, not realizing that his excitement was more at having found a way to change the subject than at the prospect of eating her baking. "Yup! I baked them just for you."

"Great. I'll go make some coffee." He flicked on the television to keep her entertained, then bolted for the kitchen before she could remember the question she'd asked him. Usagi reached over to change the channel to her favorite anime.

But the story on the news made them both freeze in their tracks. "In an apparent mass kidnapping, nearly a hundred children disappeared from their homes last night," the anchor reported in grim tones. "All of the disappearances occurred within a five kilometer radius around the Minato Ward. Police have not yet identified any suspects or any possible motive. For Channel 8 news, this is Souga Ushio reporting."

They looked at each other, coffee and cookies and petty rivalries forgotten. "Chibi-Usa…"

~*~

For once in the history of the Sailor Team, Usagi was the first to show up to a senshi meeting.

The girls clustered in a tight ring beneath a tree at the far end of the park. To a distant observer, it might have seemed they were enjoying a picnic on this warm early spring day, but within the circle the atmosphere was anything but relaxed. Even perpetually-optimistic Minako wore a solemn expression as she briefed Ami, Rei, and Makoto on the situation.

The knowledge that children were disappearing all over the city was sobering in itself. But even worse for the senshi was the fact that it had occurred right under their noses.

"I should have said something," Rei berated herself. "I've been having a strange premonition for days."

"It's not your fault, Rei-chan," Usagi assured her, but the dejected priestess hardly looked convinced. Usagi would say that no matter what happened.

Minako cut right to the heart of the issue. "We've got to get to the bottom of this case, and fast. Here, take a look at this." She spread a wrinkled map out on the ground. It was marked with dozens of red x shapes. "These are the places where abductions occurred. See the pattern?"

The others squinted at the amorphous cloud of red ink and slowly shook their heads.

Minako's head drooped in defeat. "Drat. Neither do I."

Rei and Makoto groaned.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to collect data in hopes that a pattern might emerge," Ami reasoned.

Minako pulled a bundle of newspaper clippings out of her bag. "I've been gathering information on the victims as well. Boys and girls, all under eighteen, most under twelve. They came from all different backgrounds. There was one thing I did notice a lot, though. When their friends and family described them, they usually said they were creative, lovers of fantasy, dreamers."

"Dreamers, hmm?" Makoto murmured thoughtfully.

Usagi checked her watch and frowned. "I'm worried about Chibi-Usa walking home by herself. Sorry, but would you mind if I left early today?"

The others nodded. "I think it would be a good idea if one of us always escorts her until we figure this thing out," Rei suggested.

Usagi gave them a weak smile. "Thanks, you guys." She waved goodbye and hurried away toward the elementary school.

~*~

Chibi-Usa peered into the darkened window of the candy shop, rosebud lips curved in a disappointed pout. Why were they closed in the middle of the day?

"The owner's son was kidnapped, and he's closing the store down until he's found," someone explained, as if reading her thoughts. Startled, she turned to see Perle standing behind her. Once again there was something strange about his tone, analytical curiosity where there should have been sympathy.

"H-hello, Perle-kun," she stammered, clutching suddenly sweaty hands behind her back. Today, for some reason, he made her feel jittery. She blinked hard and reminded herself that jitters were unladylike.

He gave her a sunny smile. "I'm glad to see you again, Chibi-Usa-chan."

"Um… did you like my cookies?" she asked in an awkward attempt to make conversation.

Perle nodded, indicating a bag tied around his waist. "They're delicious. I ate them for breakfast and lunch!"

"Those are special cookies," Chibi-Usa proclaimed, with the wide-eyed certainty of childish wisdom. "They were baked with all my love for my darling Mamo-chan! One bite will fill you with power and courage!"

Perle chuckled. "I'll save them for important times, then." He paused and frowned. "But is it really okay for me to eat your boyfriend's cookies?"

"That is… Mamo-chan isn't exactly my boyfriend," Chibi-Usa mumbled, shuffling her feet. "A-anyway! Let's go for a walk!"

They strolled together along the row of quaint little shops, boutiques and European-style cafés. This section of town was a world apart from the bustling, gridlocked streets of downtown Tokyo or the prim, manicured condominiums of Juuban. In this place colors spilled over one another, pastel walls and painted doors blurring together in a hazy rainbow. Here ivy climbed over an old brick fence, there a window box overflowed with flowers, over there a stone fountain shaped like a hummingbird sprinkled crystalline streams into a basin with a pleasant little bubbling sound. It was like walking around inside a watercolor painting from one of Chibi-Usa's old picture books. She wandered aimlessly, sometimes following Perle, sometimes leading, freed for a short while from all her cares and troubles. The loneliness of being separated from her parents, the burden of fighting as a sailor soldier, the difficulties of living with Usagi, and the various and sundry worries of everyday life all seemed very far away, and she felt that she might remain ten years old forever, here with him in their own private wonderland.

Wait, that wasn't right. She was already 902 years old.

"Hey, Chibi-Usa-chan. What's your dream?" Perle asked suddenly.

She pondered for a few seconds. "I have lots of dreams. But number one is to become a grown-up lady."

Perle nodded slowly. "It would be nice," he said, "if there could be a world where everyone's dreams were granted."

Chibi-Usa agreed. "So what's your dream, Perle-kun?"

He seemed surprised, as if no one had ever asked him that before. "My dream? Well, I guess…" He paused, thinking hard. "I guess it's to create that world."

Chibi-Usa regarded him with curious admiration. His gray eyes were far away, fixed on his vision of the future, and he seemed in that moment quite noble and sublime.

"You'd better start eating those cookies, then!" she exclaimed. "You're going to need all the power and courage you can get."

Perle laughed out loud. Soon Chibi-Usa was laughing too, without either of them knowing why.

"Chibi-Usa-chan!" a breathless shout rang out from down the road. The two children turned to see an exhausted Usagi chasing them. "Don't… run off… alone like that!" she scolded between gulps of air. "It's dangerous for a kid to walk around by herself!"

Chibi-Usa crossed her arms and muttered something about Usagi being bossy.

It was then that Usagi noticed that Chibi-Usa was not, in fact, by herself. "Ah, hello there!" she greeted Perle, bending down to his eye level. "I'm Tsukino Usagi." She looked from him to Chibi-Usa, her smile fading. "Aren't you a little young to date?"

Chibi-Usa turned scarlet. "This is my _friend,_ Perle," she explained.

"Uh-huh."

"Really! We're just friends! Perle-kun, tell her we're just friends!"

Perle confirmed this, to Usagi's immense relief and slight disappointment. Chibi-Usa struggled to compose herself.

"Are you Chibi-Usa-chan's mother?" Perle asked.

Both girls shook their heads vigorously. Usagi launched into their well-rehearsed explanation, that Chibi-Usa was her cousin visiting from another city.

"What are you doing, Perle?" a sharp voice interrupted.

A skinny, reptilian man with narrow, slanted eyes approached them. He wore a spectacularly ugly yellow pinstripe zoot-suit that seemed to clash with every feature of his face, most notably the shock of bright green hair poking from beneath his matching yellow beret. Had he a more pleasant demeanor, it might have seemed flamboyant enough to cross the line into artful. At the moment, his tight-lipped sneer was anything but. Chibi-Usa instinctively clutched at Usagi's hand.

"Sorry, Banane," Perle stuttered. "I was just meeting some, uh, friends." He looked up at the strange man with fearful, pleading eyes, like a beaten dog.

Banane's head swiveled to look at Usagi, and the smile he gave her was unpleasant as his frown. "I see."

Without so much as a greeting, he spun on his heel and walked away. "Come, Perle."

"I have to go," Perle said with an apologetic bow. "Take care, Chibi-Usa-chan."

As quickly as he had arrived, he was gone.

~*~

"Looking back, I think that was when I started to sense there was something strange about Perle," Usagi reflected, her scarlet eyes still clouded with memory. "I wonder where he is now."

Serenity hesitated, searching for the gentlest way to break what she suspected was the truth. From Usagi's perspective it seemed like their encounter with Perle had been only a few years ago, but for him, almost a millennium had passed.

"How long do fairies live?" she asked, the question mostly rhetorical.

It pained her to watch her daughter's face as the sad realization settled on her. "I don't know," Usagi sighed. She slipped into pensive silence, head drooping until her face was hidden behind a curtain of pink hair.

Just as the queen was trying to form words of comfort, she lifted her face again, her jaw set with stubborn optimism. "I don't know, but they're magical beings, so anything is possible, right?" She nodded in reply to herself. "Right."

Serenity decided it was best to let her believe that. Both of them reached for another cookie, and the silence was comfortable once more.

"This makes me feel like a teenager again." Serenity murmured.

"You do seem more… Usagi-like lately," a voice echoed from the doorway.

The queen and princess both lurched, then exhaled in relief when they saw that the intruder was Luna.

The black cat padded over to the table, shaking her head in dismay. "At first I blamed Artemis when the milk started disappearing overnight, but now I know the true culprits."

Usagi had a saucer ready. "Shall I pour you some?"

"No, thank you," Luna declined, knowing that if she allowed herself to indulge in the midnight snacking, she would be complicit, and then Artemis would never let her hear the end of it. She leapt up and settled comfortably in Serenity's lap. The queen scratched behind her ears, and she purred in spite of herself.

"You'd never have let her do this when she was younger," Luna remarked. In spite of her indignant air, Serenity thought she sounded more amused than critical.

"Back then, she didn't know any better. Now she knows better and does it anyway, which is a different thing entirely."

Usagi gulped the last of her milk and gave Luna a cheeky grin. The black cat shot her a look of searing disapproval, and she flushed. If Serenity was going to condone this behavior, so be it, but Luna expected at least a little diffidence from the pardoned sinner.

"In those early years I was so determined to be perfect," Serenity recalled. "When I saw everything we'd hoped for being realized, when I looked out at that beautiful crystal city, when I looked down at that beautiful little child in my arms… I was afraid. It felt like if I made one wrong move it would all vanish. I was always pushing myself."

"It wasn't all in your head," Luna said. "You had to deal with the Black Moon uprising and the Titan's Hammer Incident of 2377 and the second and third Larn Wars and the Kinmoku reconstruction effort, and oh, don't forget that massive riot in Osaka when all those people thought the world was going to end at the turn of the 25th Century…" She trailed off, feeling tension spread through her muscles at the mere memory of all the stress they'd been through.

Serenity chuckled at her harried advisor, who had unconsciously puffed out her fur to appear twice her normal size. "Oh, Luna. I never would have made it without you."

"Flatterer," Luna muttered, blushing.

"I'm not afraid anymore," Serenity said with a smile at Usagi. "This city and my daughter became everything I could hope for, and more."

Usagi's eyes dropped to the tabletop, doubt evident on her face. Hadn't she failed on her first mission as Sailor Moon? Hadn't her father's crystal been stolen on her watch? Now the entire kingdom was in danger because of her negligence… and they didn't even know it.

Sensing her distress, Serenity offered reassurance. "Endymion and I are worried, of course, but the Ginzuishou is enough to sustain us until you recover the Golden Crystal. We have faith in the new generation of sailor soldiers."

_Then why don't you have enough faith in your people to tell them what's going on?_ Usagi thought. In the interest of maintaining peace at the table, she kept the barb to herself. There was no changing her mother's mind on that subject.

"However, I seem to recall that you once had a habit of eating too many snacks and sleeping late every morning," Luna reminded Serenity. "Both habits that you don't need to reinforce in your daughter."

A wicked gleam came into Usagi's eyes. "Mom, I think Luna needs a cookie."

The hairs on the back of Luna's neck rose as the two grinned at her. "Oh, no you don't!" she protested, backing away slowly. Her eyes darted back and forth as she made a desperate attempt to reason with the two, who were advancing on her with a pastry the size of her head. "All right, very funny. Usagi. Serenity! Now this is exactly the kind of behavior I'm talking abo—mmph!"

A mouthful of chocolatey goodness muffled the rest of her words.

~*~

The three Moirae siblings gathered before Petalite's heavy walnut desk in what had once been the office of some high-ranking executive at the factory that was now their headquarters. The room's obtuse grandeur suited Petalite's inflated ego perfectly. Her long nails drummed absently against the wooden surface as she listened to Pyrolusite's report on his latest tussle with the sailor senshi. Beside him, Ripidolite pretended to be bored while Calomel fidgeted in her leather chair.

"Although Carnelian did not succeed in her primary objective, I did accomplish something by this endeavor," Pyrolusite declared. His sisters made their doubt apparent, but he went on, "I have created an atmosphere of distrust among the senshi. They will constantly have to wonder if their teammates are real. Even if the two that escaped do manage to find their allies before they're killed, they will have trouble convincing one another of their loyalty."

Petalite's fingers stopped tapping, and the silence that followed was deafening. She let the boy sweat for a few seconds before she pronounced her judgment. "Good."

Pyrolusite's chest swelled with pride.

"Our orders from Moros are to prevent them from regrouping for as long as possible—that is to say, indefinitely, because I expect nothing less from the three of you. Can you mass-produce these cyborgs, Pyrolusite?"

"Androids," he corrected. "And yes. Now that I've perfected the design, it's nothing to reproduce her. I can easily vary her measurements to imitate any of the sailor senshi."

Calomel snickered. "What, you have their three-sizes?"

"You'd be amazed what you can find on the Internet," Ripidolite deadpanned.

Petalite stood, signifying the end of the discussion. "Very well. Go to it," she ordered. "Calomel, go with him. Since I hear you are so interested in your brother's research, you will assist him in testing their weapons systems."

It was clear that by "test" she meant "serve as a punching bag." Calomel knew the assignment was intended as a punishment for her secret training sessions with Carnelian, and grumbled against whichever of her traitorous siblings had ratted her out. Pyrolusite, for his part, knew he hadn't said a word (the mock battle had, after all, been his idea.) He shot Ripidolite a suspicious glare. Didn't she have her own operation to run? If anyone was going to get Calomel in trouble for interfering with his projects, it ought to be him. The green-haired woman answered him with an arrogant sneer. Gritting his teeth, he spun on his heel and stalked out, Calomel in tow.

After the two younger Moirae were gone, the third lingered for a private discussion with her superior. Petalite crossed the room to gaze out the shattered ruin of a window on the south wall.

"You disapprove of my methods, Ripidolite?" Beneath the query lurked a challenge.

"I disapprove of their incompetence," Ripidolite replied tersely. "I can't understand why you go to such great lengths to accommodate it. And I am not content to merely supervise their repeated failures."

Petalite's shoulders twitched in a contemning scoff. "You seem to think your brother's tactics are useful enough to borrow when it suits you."

Ripidolite's painted green lips hardened into a thin line as she found herself on the defensive. "The impersonation scheme was fairly clever," she conceded. "But he will always be limited by his lack of magical capabilities. That's why he's jealous of me. He builds his little machines, pretends he doesn't want it, even pretends to think his science is better than the power he'll never have."

She drew herself up tall, eyes widening with the fervor of unbridled ambition. Her hunger for power matched Petalite's own, but it was sharper, less refined, driven by the pounding frustration of youth. "My magic allowed me to conjure in minutes what took him months to build," she went on. "I took his idea and executed it more efficiently."

"Is that so?" Petalite's voice was silky smooth and dangerous. "My assessment is somewhat different. Pyrolusite's android took on three sailor soldiers at once, one of them a pre-Millennian veteran and arguably the most powerful in this system, and defeated them all. It would have succeeded in killing Sailor Moon if not for the untimely intervention of that caped fellow, and even with his help it took all their effort to bring her down." Petalite paused, locking eyes with her impudent daughter. "How many minutes did your golem last against an already injured Sailor Juno? Four? Maybe five?"

Ripidolite shrugged indifferently, like a sullen child refusing to admit her error. "I created it in five minutes. By my calculation, that's still more effective than his in terms of time invested."

Petalite shook her head patiently. "You will soon learn, Ripidolite, that a thing is best judged not by the time it takes to build it, but by the time it takes to destroy it. The empire of a thousand years can be swept away in a single afternoon. Humanity calls it great, but the memory of it fades after a single generation. Fate, too, unravels with the lightest tug. I care only for that which endures."

Ripidolite's only reply was to cross her arms with a soft "harrumph."

Petalite brought her hands together before her chest, the pads of her fingers brushing one another distractedly, and made a point of not looking at Ripidolite. "However, I suppose it would only be fair to offer you the same opportunity as those two. While the new androids are being prepared, I grant you this chance to prove yourself. Show me what you can do."

Ripidolite's eyes glittered eagerly. Dropping to one knee, she slammed her palm into the ground, and a green circle of light lined with occult symbols traced itself out before her.

"Jasper! Come forth!" she commanded.

Tendrils of green and purple energy sprouted from the glowing outline, coiled around one another, and knit themselves into something resembling a human form, except that it was around three meters tall and had a mane of leaves where there should have been hair. Petalite looked on in approval as the creature arose, bowed to them, and loped out the door without a word, intent on fulfilling the telepathic instructions its master had just issued: _Locate and destroy Sailor Moon._

Ripidolite's creations had a kind of grotesque beauty that none of the other Moirae, not even Petalite herself, could replicate. She expected nothing less from her eldest. In spite of the harsh evaluation she'd had to give the girl, to remind her who was in charge, Petalite had no doubt that Ripidolite was the finest of her warriors. She had all of Calomel's inborn magical ability (and then some) and all of Pyrolusite's ruthlessness. But while Calomel fought for some petty, misguided sense of vengeance, and Pyrolusite saw the whole thing as a chance to use his toys, Ripidolite fought because she was a soldier and she had been ordered to. No questions, no remorse, no personal emotional investment. It was just what she did.

The green-haired woman emerged from her summoning trance and looked over at Petalite, expecting praise. Her superior graced her with a nod of acknowledgment. It was not quite commendation—that would only come after she brought back a sailor soldier's corpse.

"Very well. Dismissed," Petalite said, returning to her desk.

Ripidolite bowed and turned to leave, but paused at the door and came back. "Actually, I do have one more question." She leaned toward Petalite, dropping her voice to just above a whisper, and asked, "Why does Moros want to kill Sailor Moon?"

It was a simple inquiry, made without a hint of insubordination or doubt of their leader's competence. But it was unusual for Ripidolite to wonder about the motivation behind the objectives she was given. Petalite frowned. And told the truth.

"I don't know for certain. I presume it's because she wants the Silver Crystal. Queen Moros has assured us that fate will change if we can get it."

She glanced up at Ripidolite, wondering if she would explain her sudden curiosity. But the young warrior excused herself with a stiff nod and vanished down the darkened corridor.

~*~

It was a typical Thursday morning at Crystal Juuban Public School. Groggy students organized their books and nodded hello to one another as they trudged through the halls to their classrooms. At first, no one noticed the petite young woman with loose auburn curls who slipped in through the front door staggering under the weight of an oversized camera, her laptop, and an armful of overdue homework projects.

Then someone shouted out, "Miruki-chan!" and suddenly, the student body was wide awake.

Third years swarmed around their formerly missing classmate in a joyous knot, while everyone else gathered around the perimeter trying to see what was going on. A hundred voices at once asked what had happened to her and where she had been. Miruki kept her explanations brief, promising to give the full story in next month's edition of the school paper. Then Chino shoved his way through the crowd and threw himself on her in a crushing embrace, and for a while there were no more questions. Even the snobbish Aya looked on with a smile.

Amid the chorus of cheers and welcome-backs, Usagi and Hotaru exchanged puzzled glances. Finding no answers, they both shrugged and joined in the celebration.

~*~

When Hotaru exited the school building at the end of the day, Seresu was waiting for her. They walked together out the gates and down a tree-lined path toward the nearest rail station. Neither spoke until they were well out of earshot of the school.

"Were there any results from Mercury's tests on the robot?" Seresu asked.

Hotaru shook her head. "For the most part, they were inconclusive. It was unregistered, and the parts didn't look like anything from any manufacturer we know of. It seems to have been a completely custom job. Mercury didn't find the hard drive or sensory data-stream records. They were probably in the head, which was, as you know…"

"Missing," Seresu finished for her with a sigh. "It figures that the one piece that could tell us anything is the one our enemies managed to escape with."

"Actually," said Hotaru, "it's Pluto's analysis that interests me the most…"

Seresu gave her an inquisitive look. "Hmm?"

"Never mind. It was probably nothing," Hotaru said quickly, wishing she hadn't mentioned it. "There are too many people around to talk about this now," she added, as an excuse. They were indeed approaching the station, so Seresu chose not to press her.

They fell into a brooding silence. Hotaru wrestled with guilt for calling a meeting behind Usagi's back (the princess was caught up in some stuffy political function back at the palace, and would be stuck there for the rest of the evening.) She felt like she was deceiving Usagi, but there were certain issues that were easier to discuss without her around.

Namely, that Pegasus Kamen character.

A train glided to a stop at their platform. Seresu fished her Crystal Card out of her purse and got in line to board. Hotaru followed with a puzzled expression, noting that it was bound for Hachioji.

"We aren't going to your place?"

"Oh, I thought we could stop by Atena's place to pick her up and then head over to one of the little parks around there."

Hotaru turned pale, picturing how Seresu, the eternal neat freak, would react to the war zone that was the Itokuris' living room. "I-I'm not sure that's such a good idea. I mean, well, don't you think we should give her a call first?"

"Yes, yes, I'll call her as soon as we get off. But I'm quite curious to see her house. I've never been there before, you see, and she seems quite reluctant to have me over for whatever reason… So I figured I'd just drop by and have a peek!" Seresu said with an airy giggle.

Hotaru swallowed hard as they stepped aboard. This was not going to end well.

~*~

Juno crouched in the entrance of a private hovercar dock beneath the Shirokane Terrace Sankozaka apartments, scanning the street for her pursuers. She had to force her sore eyes to focus, and was rewarded with a pounding headache. A steady clicking of heels on pavement warned her that one of the golems was descending the staircase from the building above—probably the false Ceres, she guessed from its dainty gait. Moments later, the other, a false Pallas, emerged from a shrub-lined patio across the street. She had maybe ten seconds before they converged on her.

She shrank back into the shadows of the garage, waiting for the opportune moment. Lying in ambush like this wasn't her style, but after twelve solid hours of running, fighting, and more running, she would resort to whatever dirty tactic would buy her a few seconds to breathe. After her failed attempt to collar Pyrolusite, she had gone back to check on (the alleged) Sailor Pallas, but the girl had vanished. Since then, the imposter senshi had been attacking her non-stop. All of them were plant-creatures like the ones she'd encountered in Petalite's nightmare world, except that these were very real and disguised as her own dear teammates. While some attacked her outright, most approached her as allies, only to turn on her when they believed she'd let her guard down. They had driven her south as far as Takanawa in what had to be a coordinated effort. What should have been a thirty minute walk had instead taken her all night.

It had gotten to the point where the sight of her companions that had once filled her with joy now brought dread. She wondered how she would know the true senshi when she found them, how long she would have to wait for them to attack her before she could believe they were the real thing. An even darker thought followed that one: what if her real friends were already dead, replaced by these puppets? What if even the queen had been replaced? Were any of the people in this city real?

She squelched her pessimism and tried to concentrate. Weary muscles trembled painfully as she tensed, preparing to strike. At the critical moment, the two golems aligned in front of her. Praying that no one in the apartments was looking out the window, Juno unleashed her magic.

"Diamond Storm!"

A loud crack echoed up and down the street, and thunderbolt connected the golems in a brilliant, deadly chain. Their scorched bodies crumbled, and the smell of burnt weeds filled the air.

But luck was not on her side. A scream rang out from behind her, followed by a heavy thud. She glanced over her shoulder to see a pale, trembling woman backing away from her, the bag of groceries she'd been carrying spilled all over the ground. More shouts joined her from the apartments above. Ducking her head to hide her face, Juno fled. She knew her magic supposedly prevented her from being recognized, but she wasn't about to take any chances.

She couldn't stay out in the open. Casting one last worried glance back toward Hiroo Hospital, she darted into a narrow space between two buildings. Had Vesta been attacked too? For a split second she pondered going back to warn her, but her sense of duty insisted that she press onward and find the princess. Vesta could take care of herself.

Unarmed civilians, on the other hand, could not. Earlier she had contemplated taking a train—it would have made her journey much faster—but the golems were chasing her, and in spite of her urgent situation she wasn't going to lead them into a crowd of innocent people. Instead, she kept to the back streets and moved on foot.

She hurdled over fences and squeezed between hedgerows, following Highway 305 eastward. Ahead, a second-story balcony offered easy access to the roof. She leapt, caught the edge easily, and climbed up, and for a few minutes travel was much easier.

When she reached the district boundary she was forced to descend. Each residential section of Crystal Tokyo was divided and subdivided by massive, transparent, nearly impenetrable crystalline domes. This made defense and surveillance much easier, as each dome entrance could be monitored and sealed off to prevent intrusion or stop would-be criminals from escaping. In peacetime, which was most of the time, the top of the domes opened to let in air and rain. But even Juno couldn't jump that high.

She dropped to the ground and paused, listening for approaching footsteps. Hearing nothing, she made her way along the base of the dome to where a tall, arched gateway led out to an area of open forest. Its natural beauty was untouched in spite of the development around it; not even so much as a footpath disturbed the carpet of leaves. Towering, ancient trees obscured the sun. High above, a songbird whistled its melody and was answered in the distance by the rougher call of a crow. Juno slowed, savoring a moment of cool, peaceful silence.

Off to her right, a twig snapped. She whirled, searching for threats, and came face to face with another senshi. This time, she was certain at first glance that it wasn't friendly.

Because it was her.

The replica was disturbingly accurate. Whoever had created it knew her face down to the finest detail, and that fact was far more frightening than the immediate threat the golem presented. It was like looking into a mirror, except that her reflection wore a cruel, hungry sneer. Twin pairs of green eyes locked, and for a second, Juno lost herself. For a second, the monster was her.

"No!"

The harsh scream rising in her throat brought her back to herself. She threw a punch at the doppelganger's jaw. In true mirror-like fashion, it responded with an identical motion. Their knuckles collided with a jarring crack that made Juno's teeth rattle. The illusion of similarity melted away when the monster's fist split into twining green tendrils that wrapped around her hand with an iron grip. It took a swing at her, which she blocked, only to have it envelop her other hand. It pulled her in and kicked her in the chest. Juno crumpled. The monster picked her up and bashed her into a tree trunk.

Juno's vision blurred and darkened as unconsciousness threatened to take her. She tasted blood. The call of the crows overhead distorted into mocking, echoing laughter. But her opponent had made one fatal mistake: by seizing both her hands, it had offered her a completed circuit.

When touching a grounded enemy, Juno could easily deliver a fatal electric shock. With two points of contact, however, she had an even more terrifying ability. She could short-circuit her enemy's bio-electricity and channel the current into her sailor crystal—in essence, recharging her own batteries by draining someone else's life force. It was not something she liked to do, and was in fact dangerous to her if she absorbed too much. But in this circumstance, it seemed more than warranted.

Drawing on her last reserves of power, she reached out and found the connection. The monster shuddered, overcome with sudden weakness as its vital energy flowed into Juno. Its human disguise peeled away to reveal a mass of writhing vines.

"I am the Soldier of Bonds," Juno whispered, her voice shaking from exertion and the rapid influx of energy. "Your life belongs to me."

The monster stopped squirming and fell limp. Soon it had shriveled into a dry, black knot of plant matter.

Juno stood, feeling rejuvenated, and wiped her face on her glove. Her physical aches and fatigue were still there, but the deeper weariness that came from overtaxing her crystal had abated. Urging her feet into a jog once more, she made her way north toward Chiyoda.

~*~

"Unbelievable!"

Seresu repeated that word over and over as she took in the catastrophe before her. The apartment was, if possible, in even worse shape than the last time Atena's friends had visited. The carpet was still damp, and mildew had invaded the walls.

Atena cringed beneath Seresu's criticism. "This is why I didn't want you to—"

"How did you let it get to this point!" Seresu's shrill cry interrupted her. "This is shameful! How can you live like this? Your poor mother!"

"Most of this is her mess!" Atena protested.

"Do I hear someone talking about me?" Mrs. Itokuri's singsong voice called from the bedroom. She scurried out to meet them with a sunny smile. "Hi, guys! Great to see you." She spotted newcomer, and her grin broadened. "You must be Seresu-chan! Atena's told me all about you."

Worry flickered in Seresu's rose-hued eyes. She often exchanged gossip about other people, but rarely considered that they might talk about her. Judging from Mrs. Itokuri's cheerful tone, Atena hadn't said anything bad. Or was that a forced smile? No, she decided. There was no way naïve, pure-hearted Atena would go trying to ruin her reputation behind her back. She wasn't capable of such meanness.

Was she?

"It's good to see you too, Itokuri-san. We just came by to visit Atena, and—" Hotaru began.

"We're going to help you clean this house!" Seresu declared suddenly. "From top to bottom! Until it sparkles! May we borrow a mop and bucket, please?"

With a slow nod, Atena's mother pointed to their hall closet. Before either of her friends had a chance to object, Seresu retrieved the mop and thrust it into Hotaru's hands, then started giving out orders. "Hotaru-chan, you're in charge of the floors. Atena-chan, find a bag and start picking up this trash! I'm going to hang this rug out to dry…"

Mrs. Itokuri stared in wonder. Her eyes grew misty. "She's an angel from heaven!" she sighed, gazing adoringly at Seresu.

_She's an ogre,_ Atena and Hotaru thought in unison.

~*~

Three hours later, the kitchen and living room were finally starting to look inhabitable. Most of the old junk mail and school papers had, over Atena's objections, been thrown out. The floors were spic and span thanks to Hotaru, the walls were scrubbed thanks to Atena, the stove was de-greased (Hotaru), the dishes were washed (Hotaru) and put away (Atena.)

Just what _had_ Seresu been doing?

Their taskmaster was, at the moment, following Atena as the other girl dusted and pointing out any spots she missed. Hotaru, who was sitting on the living room floor sorting trinkets into boxes, watched her with growing agitation. It was true that she was coordinating Atena and Hotaru's efforts, but she wasn't putting in much of her own. Nevertheless, she was getting all the credit in the eyes of their host.

"Seresu-chan!" Mrs. Itokuri warbled. She emerged from the kitchen bearing a plateful of cherry tarts. "I baked a little something to thank you for all your help today."

Hotaru tried not to roll her eyes.

Mrs. Itokuri served Seresu first, then offered tarts to the other girls. Atena gobbled one greedily, but Hotaru politely refused, saying she wasn't hungry. Atena promptly ate hers too.

"Please come back any time you like!" Mrs. Itokuri offered.

"Bribery," Atena muttered around a mouthful of cherries. "Sweet, delicious bribery."

Hotaru grumbled softly and returned to trying to decide whether an engraved seashell belonged in "keepsakes" or "Mama's nature collection."

The phone rang, and Atena's mother skipped off to answer it. Still munching on her dessert, Seresu crossed the room to sit beside Hotaru, and Atena followed. "You'll have to forgive me for distracting us," Seresu said. "What do you say we go out to dinner and get to the real purpose of this meeting?"

Flighty and obsessive as she could be, Seresu would never shirk her duty as a sailor soldier. And when she finally got down to business, she was as dedicated as they came. Hotaru had to give her that much credit.

She nodded. "Let's head to the Glass Hour. My treat."

~*~

Princess Usagi Lady Serenity walked with measured strides, following exactly four paces behind her mother. The click of her heels on the glassy floor echoed through the vaulted corridor, and the unique acoustics of the vaulted crystalline ceiling transformed the sound into something almost musical. She had a love-hate relationship with those heels. On one hand, they made her look taller and so very mature. On the other, she now had two blisters on each foot and her knees were killing her. It was just her luck that she had gym class in the morning, too.

Ahead, Neo Queen Serenity made light conversation with an ambassador from Mnemosyne, pointing out various features of the palace as they walked. The ambassador, a thin woman with a narrow, pinched face and muted violet hair that fell in soft curls to her shoulders, maintained an air of polite interest and let Serenity do most of the talking.

The ultimate purpose of this tour, and the dinner that was to follow, was to persuade the Mnemosyneans to join the Millennium Stars Alliance, an interplanetary assembly dedicated to maintaining peace and stability across the stars. The Alliance had begun as a pact between Earth, Kinmoku, and a few other systems, and had since expanded to include hundreds of planets. Mnemosyne and its sister planet Lethe, once conquered, broken worlds ruled by one of the galaxy's worst dictators, had finally found freedom and relative stability. It was perhaps not surprising that their people now approached the idea of any allegiance to an outside governing body with extreme caution.

"Many of our people are eager to join the Millennium Stars Alliance. But many more are afraid," the ambassador said. Her voice had a light, soothing quality, and she carried herself with gentle dignity that commanded respect without inspiring fear. She was true lady, Usagi thought.

"We do not distrust you personally," she added hastily, "but we are wary of the idea. Of what such an organization could become, if it were to turn corrupt."

Serenity nodded. "I have heard that some refer to it as the 'Silver Galactica.'"

The ambassador's mint-green eyes widened in apprehension. The epithet was indeed being tossed around in the Lethean media, but she had hoped it had not reached Serenity's ears. "I assure you, Your Highness, that the reasonable citizens of Mnemosyne do not use that term. We trust you and the people of Earth, of course. But… if another Soldier of Destruction came to power…"

The look Serenity gave her was not of anger, but reassurance. "We completely understand your concerns," she said, her voice full of compassion. "I believe that if we all work together and learn to believe in one another, we will be able to prevent another tragedy like the Shadow Galactica Wars. It is for precisely this reason that the Millennium Stars Alliance is so important."

Like its spiritual predecessor, the United Nations (which had collapsed at the start of the 21st century during the conflict that led to the rise of Crystal Tokyo,) the Alliance was founded on the hope of peace, the hope that Galaxia's attempted conquest had been the war to end all wars and there would never be another such crisis. Also like its predecessor, the Alliance had yet to fully realize its vision. Squabbles often broke out between its members, occasionally escalating into armed combat in spite of their attempts at mediation. Even when they did resolve things peacefully, they were often criticized for interfering in affairs that were none of their business. How were these delegates in their ivory tower supposed to understand the cultural intricacies of a planet a hundred light-years away, a world whose surface they had never walked on, a people whose language their vocal cords likely weren't even capable of producing? Who did they think they were?

And yet, those same critics had been willing enough to accept aid from the Alliance during those first rough centuries after Galaxia was defeated. Thanks to their help, countless planets had been saved that would otherwise have been wiped out by war and famine. If they never accomplished anything else, if the wars never ended, that alone would have made the whole endeavor worthwhile. Serenity believed that, no matter what the cynics said.

_The wars will not end,_ spoke a voice from her memory. A child's voice, hardened with desolate resolve that contradicted her youth. A child who was not young at all.

_Even so,_ her heart replied.

They reached the end of the hall and paused before a pair of tall doors. Serenity pressed her palm to a panel in the frame, and they slid apart to reveal a spacious, well-lit chamber. Paintings hung in golden frames on the walls, and sculptures of every size were displayed on prismatic glass pedestals throughout.

"One of our art galleries," the queen said, making a sweeping gesture with her arm in true tour-guide fashion. "Usagi, if you would show our guest around?"

Usagi stepped forward on cue. Art was one of her favorite subjects, and the queen was giving her this chance to shine. She showed the ambassador several pieces by their own Princess Neptune, as well as gifts commissioned by foreign leaders as tokens of goodwill. Proudly on display among the masterpieces was a small, lumpy clay teacup made by Usagi when she was five years old. She tried to pass it by, but Serenity did not hesitate to point it out, making her blush up to her ears in humiliation. The ambassador laughed for the first time since the tour started, and the mood lightened considerably.

"And this one is called 'The Miracle.'" Usagi indicated a sculpture of bluish mineral that depicted an idealized, nondescript sailor senshi holding aloft a star-shaped wand. Highly polished, with flowing, graceful lines, the statue seemed to move as they walked around it. "It was a gift to us from the Larnian Planetary Council, in celebration of the many years of peace and friendship between our peoples."

The ambassador made an effort to smooth her features. "Ah, yes. The planets of the Larn System are also a members of the MSA, are they not?"

The inhabitants of that particular system (and particularly its fourth planet, Phidara) were not well liked by their neighbors. In fact, they were not well liked by anyone at all, with Earth as a tentative exception. Their inclusion in the Alliance had been controversial at best. Serenity did her best to exude wisdom and confidence. "The Alliance upholds the principle of extending a hand of fellowship to all systems who agree to abide by its rules."

The ambassador seemed to accept this, but all traces of laughter had vanished from her eyes. Usagi swallowed hard, suddenly feeling that she'd made a mistake. She should have been more tactful in her description of the statue, or maybe she should never have pointed it out.

But her mother gave her a dazzling smile that told her not to be afraid. "Thank you, Usagi. Moving right along…"

Serenity and the ambassador continued out of the gallery and on toward the king's Royal Planetarium, embroiled in discussion about just what the Alliance's rules were, but Usagi lingered, entranced by the statue. She was certain now that it was meant to be Sailor Moon. The artist had reconstructed her image from fragments of legend, ancient tales of the powerful, invincible soldier who long ago had sacrificed herself in the Galaxy Cauldron to save the universe. No one knew her name anymore. No one knew that she had once been a starry-eyed, clumsy schoolgirl from Azabu-Juuban. No one knew, though rumors whispered, that she was the very same Neo Queen Serenity who watched over the planet to this day.

The queen preferred it that way. If people knew, they might worship her (more than they did already), and she would rather have friends than followers. But every once in a while, her daughter wished she could share the whole story. She wanted to point up at the statue of the legendary "Messiah" and tell the world "That's my mom!"

Usagi was so lost in thought that at first she didn't notice when the light fled from the room. She didn't notice the cloaked form that materialized behind the statue. It was not until the doors snapped shut, plunging the room into pitch darkness, that she realized something was very wrong.

Terror gripped her and she froze in place. A soft glow caught her eye, dancing around the edges of the statue. Moments later, a man emerged. The flickering light seemed to emanate from him, throwing weird shadows on the folds of his violet cloak. His face was covered by a white silk mask, but she could see the pair of golden eyes behind it. She would know those eyes anywhere.

_Aether._ Immediately her hand flew to the transformation brooch hidden in the bodice of her gown. He saw her intention and held up a hand for her to stop—whether the gesture was supposed to be calming or commanding, she wasn't sure. She didn't feel obliged to honor either.

"There's no need. I'm only here to talk." He spoke in a whisper, but whatever magic produced the strange light also amplified the sound until it filled the chamber with a dreamlike echo. Surely her mother and the ambassador must hear it. Any minute they would come back to check on her, and then… what?

Logic told her that for the ambassador to witness a security breach in their palace would destroy any good impression they had made today. A deeper sense told her that she did in fact need to talk to Aether alone.

At the moment, however, Usagi only had one thing to say to him. "Give back my father's crystal."

With infuriating calm, he shook his head in refusal. "I don't have it with me," he replied. "As I said before, it will be returned to you in due time."

"What exactly does due time mean?" Usagi demanded to know.

Rather than answer, Aether turned to contemplate the statue. The uneven light made the figure appear to come to life once again, but this time instead of moving gracefully it seemed to writhe in a hellish dance.

"Let me tell you a story," he said at length.

He took her seething silence as an invitation to continue. And against her will, Usagi found herself drawn into his tale.

"Once upon a time, there was a fair maiden. She had a strong and virtuous will, and a heart overflowing with kindness, and everyone adored her. A certain man fell in love with this maiden. But their love was not meant to be, for their world was fated for destruction."

"I know a story like that…" Usagi breathed. She was, of course, speaking of the tragedy of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. She knew how that one ended: with betrayal, sorrow and a glorious kingdom reduced to rubble. And everyone died.

"However, there was one way to save the world," Aether went on, his voice rising, and Usagi's heart followed in a swell of desperate hope. He had ensnared her emotions.

_He's an enemy,_ she reminded herself. She couldn't let him have any hold over her, even if it was just a story.

He had paused, waiting. This was part of his game, she realized, a way to keep her hanging on his every word, making her ask for more. But oh, the suspense was killing her. She had to know.

"How?" she asked.

"One of them, the man or the maiden, must die upon the other's sword."

The cruel pronouncement struck Usagi as if a blade had been shoved through her own heart. He had offered her hope that there was another way, that this legend might end better than the sad one she knew, but then, just when that glimmer of optimism had made her vulnerable, he had taken her heart and crushed it with one sentence. Instead, he presented her with something even more agonizing than loss: an impossible choice.

Aether's tone was bitter as he finished the story. "The man spent many sleepless nights wondering what he should do. But at last he decided that he loved the world more than he loved the maiden. And so, he became her enemy."

All this time, he had been gazing up at the nameless statue. Now he spun to face her, a sudden movement that made her jump. "Do you think that man was cruel?" he asked, abruptly emotionless. He reminded her of a literature teacher who, after finishing a reading of a dramatic passage, snapped back to calm detachment in an instant and asked her to analyze the text. He had all the answers, knew every line and passage and the significance of each. Most importantly, he knew the ending.

"No, I wouldn't call him cruel," she said, and was pleased to note that Aether's brows shot up in surprise. So she'd caught him off guard. Strengthened by that knowledge, she spoke louder. "Not cruel, but foolish, for thinking he had to make that choice."

"But he knew," Aether reminded her patiently. "One of them had to die in order to save the world. It would be foolish for him to love her, knowing that."

"How did he know? Who told him so?" Usagi challenged. The apprehension she had felt when she first saw him was gone, swept away in the hushed fervor of their debate.

"Fate decreed it," Aether said, growing addled.

Usagi drew herself up in defiance. "I refuse to believe that fate is more powerful than love." Her parents were living proof that love could conquer anything. Otherwise, she would never have been born.

A marked shift in power had taken place. Now she was the one with the answers, and Aether was growing defensive.

"She might not have returned his feelings," he pointed out. "If he was in a one-sided love, it would be better for him to die than to risk everyone else's lives."

Usagi was taken aback. It would be better for him to die? How could Aether say that so easily about anyone, even if that person was just a character in a story? Was he really that heartless?

She thought hard, and at last she replied, "It doesn't matter. Even if she didn't return his feelings, even if they couldn't change fate, if he really loved her, he should have told her the truth."

Aether backed away from her, eyes narrowed to golden slits.

"Prepare yourself, Sailor Moon," he warned. His voice was sharp and cold, but beneath the harsh edge was a hint of a tremor. "Next time we meet, it will be in battle."

The doors opened with a rush of air, the lights came on overhead, and the world was temporarily lost in a flash of light. When she looked again, Aether was gone.

~*~

The crowd at the Glass Hour was thinner than usual. Seresu, Atena, and Hotaru had no trouble finding privacy in an isolated booth along the far wall. The girls settled in and placed their orders. When they were sure no one was in earshot, they bent their heads together.

"So," said Seresu.

"So," said Hotaru.

Atena did not skirt the issue. "What do you guys think of Pegasus Kamen?"

"I don't trust him at all," Hotaru declared.

Seresu's response, though tempered with politeness, was similar.

"He shows up whenever he feels like it. He's always hiding behind that mask. We don't know his real name—he wouldn't even tell us his alias until we forced him." Hotaru crossed her arms, glaring at a mental image of the mysterious stranger.

"How do you know that's not his real name?" Atena pointed out.

Hotaru gave her a look. "Does 'Pegasus Kamen' sound like a real name to you?"

Atena shrugged. "People are naming their kids all kinds of weird stuff ever since they lifted the jinmeiyou kanji regulations."

"Which I think is ridiculous," Seresu huffed. "Did you know there was a couple who named their daughter 'concubine'? How completely inappropriate! Can you imagine what that's going to do to her self-esteem—"

"Let's focus, please," Hotaru reminded them.

Seresu cleared her throat. "Right. Pegasus Kamen. That name does make me wonder. Hotaru-chan, do you put any stock in the theory that he is the priest of Elysion in disguise?"

After a pause, Hotaru shook her head slowly. "Other than the obvious Pegasus connection, I don't see many similarities. From what I remember of Helios, he was a gentle, humble person. This guy is a cocky Tuxedo Kamen wannabe. And…" She hesitated, wondering if she should share her next thought. "I think Usagi doesn't see how suspicious he is because she's a little bit infatuated with him. She's seeing what she wants to see, and what she wants to see is her childhood sweetheart turned knight in shining armor. The name certainly isn't helping."

Seresu agreed. "It's understandable, really. On the surface, he fits the profile. He did come to our rescue last time…"

"Carnelian rescued us too, right before she tried to kill us. We can't let our guard down," Hotaru insisted. "I don't think we can treat him as an ally."

In a display of worldly wisdom that her friends had not expected, Atena nodded in agreement. "It's hard to trust him when he doesn't seem to want to work together."

"Then how do we treat him?" Seresu asked. "We have enough enemies without trying to make new ones."

"Let's call him a wild card," Atena suggested. "He's helping us now, so why not let him? If he turns against us, we'll deal with it when the time comes."

"I don't like this," Seresu sighed. "Not having a plan."

"Neither do I, but I think it's the best we can do for now," Hotaru said. Her purple eyes glinted dangerously. "But if that guy even _thinks_ of laying a hand on Usagi—"

She broke off as a waiter glided over to the table. He set a tray of drinks before them with a flourish: an iced tea for Hotaru, a virgin daiquiri for Seresu, and a glass of chocolate milk for Atena.

Seresu regarded the drinks with a puzzled frown. "Pardon me, but I don't believe we ordered these."

The man gave her a glib smile. "They're gifts from the owner. Thanks for your frequent patronage." He was gone in a twinkling, before they could ask any questions.

While Atena sipped happily, Hotaru brooded over her glass. She looked across at Seresu and saw the same uneasiness on the other girl's face. Both sensed that this was not a simple courtesy, but a silent message. They were being watched.

~*~

Starlight sparkled through the translucent walls of the Crystal Palace, casting tiny rainbows on the meeting room below. The tour and banquet with the Mnemosynean diplomat had concluded without incident, and she was preparing to depart. Serenity invited her to stay the night in one of their guest rooms, but she declined. Accustomed as she was to her planet's 46-hour days, to her it still felt like mid-afternoon.

"Your Majesties are fair and generous. We cannot thank you enough for your hospitality," the purple-haired woman adulated during the round of compliments that followed dinner. Crossing one foot in front of the other, she bent her knees and dipped her head to Serenity and Endymion while sweeping one arm outward in a ballet-like pose, the traditional bow of her people. The pair of bodyguards that flanked her made a more subdued version of the motion.

"Were it up to me, we would join your Alliance without hesitation," she said. "As you know, we cannot act without approval from the Lethean consul, and that may be… difficult to obtain. However, I believe that after they hear everything you have told me today, we will be able to work something out."

Serenity smiled. "Then we will be looking forward to seeing you again."

A technician in a starched blue and white uniform entered the room. "We've resolved the teleport coordinates," he reported. "Whenever you're ready, Ma'am."

The ambassador thanked him and exchanged her final goodbyes with the king and queen. Bowing once more, she departed.

When she was gone, Usagi turned to her parents. The look on her face told them at a glance that there was a problem.

"Something happened today that I think you should know about," she began.

She told them about her encounter with Aether, how he had slipped through their defenses unnoticed and appeared to her in the gallery. She recounted the odd fairytale he had told her, though she skipped over the details of their conversation about love and fate.

"…And then he told me to prepare myself, because next time he's going to fight me," she finished.

Her parents exchanged worried glances. "This makes even less sense than his letter," the king mused.

The queen shook her head in puzzlement. "Maybe he's just a madman."

"I don't think so," Usagi said. "He's planning something. I don't know what it is, but…" She trailed off with an unconscious shiver. Her hand closed over her brooch. "What I do know is that he's an enemy, and this is the second time he's gotten away. If he comes looking for a fight, he's going to find one."

~*~

"Calomel! CR-900 Series, Kinematic testing phase two, report," Pyrolusite barked. The two strode across the padded mats of the combat training room. Before them, a long row of smooth-skinned, hairless female figures stood at rigid attention. He would add their wigs and individual facial features later, but for now, he wanted to be sure their movements and fighting styles were well calibrated.

They paused before a robot with a short, chubby frame. "We'll start with this one," Pyrolusite decided. "CR-900P 'Sailor Pallas.'"

Calomel glared by reflex at the mention of the hated name. "She seemed too calculating. Not clumsy enough. That brat may be good at hopping around, but she isn't the least bit graceful."

Nodding, Pyrolusite flipped open a panel on the android's shoulder to reveal a data port, to which he connected a handheld computer. After a few minutes of adjusting her programming, he was satisfied. "Next. CR-900C."

They continued this way for a few minutes, Calomel listing corrections and Pyrolusite adjusting controls, until they reached the end of the row.

"And the last one, CR-900M 'Sailor Moon.'"

"She's just right."

Pyrolusite zeroed in on that remark with sudden interest. "What was that, now?"

"I said she's just ri—" Calomel stopped short, realizing.

"So," Pyrolusite drawled. "She's a 'she' now? Not an 'it'?" A wicked smirk spread across his face. "Don't tell me you're like, you know, _involved?_"

His mocking laughter was cut short when an icicle buried itself in the wall inches from his head.

~*~

On a small balcony jutting out near the top of the Moirae's tower, two figures sat gazing up at the waning moon.

Aether lounged against the building wall, lost in his private melancholy. He had tossed his deep purple cloak aside, and his white and gold outfit gleamed in the moonlight. Hypnos, on the other hand, would be nearly invisible with his solid-black garb, if not for his wispy, pearlescent hair, which was currently swept back in a small ponytail. He dangled his legs over the edge and munched on mint candies from a small glass bowl.

"Hey, Aether," Hypnos spoke up, breaking the long silence between them. "Do you think Moros is on to us?"

"She probably doesn't know everything, but we should hurry to secure the silver crystal nonetheless," Aether replied. Nothing but his lips moved; the rest of his body seemed made of stone.

Hypnos studied him for a few seconds and found him, as usual, impossible to read.

"Why do you want the crystal?" he blurted out. "I know it's not for personal gain."

Silence. Hypnos wondered if Aether hadn't heard him, or had just chosen to ignore him. He was about to repeat the question when the other man said, in a barely audible voice, "It's my destiny."

Frowning, Hypnos grabbed the candies and scooted back to sit next to him. "You seem depressed. Here, have a mint," he offered, jingling the bowl under Aether's nose.

Aether shook his head. "No, thank you. I'm not very hungry." With a heavy sigh, he stretched and shifted his weight. He looked gloomy as ever, but at least Hypnos had managed to rouse him from his motionless trance.

"What are the sailor soldiers up to?" Aether asked.

"I can confirm that Juno has appeared. I don't know her civilian identity yet, but our Ginza contact should be able to find out soon enough." Hypnos belatedly sensed Aether's attempt to change the subject. "But hey, what do you mean, it's your destiny?"

Aether only looked at him sadly, then turned away.

Hypnos grew frustrated. "Why do you have to keep so many secrets from your own partner?"

"Some secrets have to be kept even from one's friends. I ask for your understanding."

Hypnos exhaled roughly and shot to his feet, running a hand through his bangs. He started pacing up and down the narrow balcony. Aether watched him in silence.

At last he calmed down and faced Aether. "All right. I understand. But not as well as I'd like."

A few more minutes passed without words. Hypnos shifted restlessly, then bid Aether good night and went inside.

Long after he was gone, Aether reached over and plucked a mint from the bowl. He held it between two fingers and examined it critically, as if he expected it to tell him the solution to all his unspoken problems. At length he shrugged and popped it in his mouth.

It was refreshing as a spring breeze, and sweet—not saccharine, but filled with the aching sweetness that accompanies the memory of childhood dreams. For a moment, it took him back to days when life had been more simple, and he smiled. It was tainted with sadness, but it was a smile nonetheless.

He lingered there until the stars went out and dawn rose over the crystal city.


	11. Identity Crisis

**Identity Crisis**

"Atena-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Why is there a rotten avocado on your nightstand?"

Seresu held the stinking glob of mush that had once been a fruit at arm's length and dropped it into a garbage bag. Beside her, Usagi tried not to gag.

Atena shrugged, at a loss for an explanation. "I don't even remember bringing that in here…"

"Maybe she was going to make shampoo out of it," Usagi joked.

Seresu was not amused. With a deep breath that let everyone know she felt inconvenienced, she returned to her task of clearing the area around Atena's bed. Since the living room had been such a success, Seresu had elected to spend this afternoon on the Itokuri's bedroom. It was, coincidentally, her turn to escort Usagi, so the princess was along whether she liked it or not. So far, they had filled ten garbage bags, and they were far from finished.

She was quite a spectacle, sporting bright yellow rubber gloves, a plastic poncho to protect her designer blouse, a pair of pink safety goggles, and a tiny flower-shaped clip to hold her nose. But Usagi and Atena weren't about to incur her wrath by making fun of her. At least she was helping this time.

"How are your violin lessons going, Usagi-chan?" Seresu inquired as they worked.

"Better every day. Hotaru-chan's been helping me out. Still haven't summoned Pegasus yet, though." She forced a laugh.

Atena and Seresu exchanged glances. "Four," they said in unison.

"Four what?" Usagi asked with growing suspicion.

"Oh, nothing," Seresu twittered, in a tone that suggested otherwise.

Usagi crossed her arms and gave her friends a peeved look. "Are you guys counting how many times I mention Helios?"

Atena snorted back a laugh. "Five!"

"And that's only since we started keeping track!"

Usagi turned her head aside to hide the blush that rose to her cheeks and decided not to entertain this line of conversation any further. Atena had gotten enough amusement from teasing her and returned to cleaning, but Seresu continued to stare her down. A few tense seconds passed.

"Oh, that does it! I can't take it anymore!" Seresu cried. Shoving her goggles onto her forehead, she leaned forward to scrutinize Usagi and commenced an interrogation. "I must know. What was your relationship with Priest Helios?"

Usagi tried to scramble away from her, only to bump up against the wall. "Th-that's none of your business, Seresu-chan!"

With a disconcerting smile, Seresu leaned closer, until her nose was practically touching Usagi's. "The fact that you are reluctant to disclose the truth is _most_ telling. How far did you get?"

Usagi's face progressed through various shades of red. "We—I mean, he and I—that is, it doesn't matter! Whatever happened to 'It's Usagi's heart, so Usagi knows best'?"

"I cannot help but notice that you've yet to actually deny it."

"You're as bad as Venus!" Usagi snapped.

Seresu's eyes grew round. With an elated squeal, she jumped up and twirled in a circle, clapping her hands. "To be compared to Venus-sama… Usagi-chan, you just made my day!"

Usagi mentally kicked herself. _Great. I managed to encourage her._

"So, I hear we're supposed to have nice weather next week," Atena said loudly, in a blatant attempt to change the subject. In hindsight, perhaps she should not have attracted Seresu's attention right when she was trying to cram the umpteenth pair of old sneakers into an already overstuffed bedroom closet.

"Hold it right there!" Seresu commanded, in the same indignant voice Sailor Ceres might use to halt a youma attack in progress. "Atena-chan! Have you been putting things away properly, or just stuffing everything in there?"

Without waiting for an answer, Seresu marched over to the closet. Atena shielded her face and braced herself as Seresu flung the door open.

And was buried in an avalanche.

She flailed beneath the pile of junk, howling like a drenched cat. "Atena! Is this your idea of cleaning?"

Atena muttered apologies and helped to excavate her.

"This is atrocious," Seresu stated flatly when she was on her feet again.

"I know almost exactly where most of my stuff is," Atena insisted, adding under her breath, "and a lot of this is Mom's."

"Almost? I did not come here for almost! It is time to put an end to your disorganized ways!" Seresu declared.

Usagi rubbed the bridge of her nose, trying to shut out the argument she knew was coming. She grumbled at Seresu for dragging her out here and forcing her to clean when she already had homework to do. She grumbled at Atena for creating another hour's work just when it seemed like the end was in sight. But mostly, she just grumbled. It wasn't fair. Princesses should not have to do housework, no matter what their bossy guardians said.

Seresu was still ranting. "We will not rest until every last object in this closet is alphabetized, color-coded, sorted, and stacked! I want it all in boxes or on hangers. Anything that doesn't have a place can be thrown out. And then we will dust. And vacuum. I will have order! I will have cleanliness!"

"Aww, but Seresu…" Atena whined.

"No buts!"

"I'm going home," Usagi announced to no one in particular.

"Atena. Let go of the panda sweatshirt." Seresu tried to pry the garment from her friend's desperate fingers.

"No! It's Atena's favorite!" Atena wailed.

"It doesn't even fit you!"

"That doesn't matter! It has sentimental value!"

"We'll donate it to charity. It will make some five-year-old very happy."

"But it's _my panda sweatshirt_!"

"Bye," said Usagi.

Neither of her friends paid attention, preoccupied as they were with their epic struggle. In a bout of frustration, Seresu tried to wrench the sweatshirt away from Atena. There was a loud ripping sound, and each girl found herself holding one sleeve and half a smiling panda face.

"Oh dear."

Atena's eyes glazed over. "Gone…" she murmured.

Seresu sighed. Atena could be so dramatic at times. "I'm sorry about the shirt, Atena-chan. But you really do need to learn to let go of things."

"No," said Atena, pointing. "I mean Usagi-chan. She's gone."

Her companion froze, staring at the spot where Usagi had been.

Blink. Blink.

Seresu let out a piercing scream that made Atena's teeth vibrate. "Eek! Princess! Oh, this is terrible! I'm going to be in so much trouble if the queen finds out!" She paced the floor, clutching at her hair and repeating, "We lost her, we lost her…"

"Um—" Atena began.

"We have to do something!" Seresu hissed, seizing the shorter girl by the collar. She tapped her chin with a pink-polished fingernail as she formulated a plan. "I'm going after her. You stay here in case she comes back. And radio an alert to the Crystal Palace. Maybe they can use the surveillance network to track her down."

"Don't you think that's overkill?" Atena ventured.

"Nothing is overkill when it comes to the princess's safety!" Seresu exclaimed.

"But there's a GPS tracker on your communicator. Every sailor senshi's location should be marked on your map."

Seresu gawked at her for a second, then squinted at her communicator, then tried to pretend she had known that all along. "I suppose this will do," she said curtly. She dashed away in pursuit of Usagi, transforming as she ran.

When she was gone, Atena clutched the two halves of her ruined sweatshirt to her chest and whimpered. She allowed herself a few minutes of self-pity before she got up and started stuffing things haphazardly back into the closet.

* * *

Icy fog pooled around Saturn's ankles, sending a prickling chill rushing through her body with every step. The air, thick and silent, seemed a tangible weight on her. Her Saturn Crystal's purple glow provided the only illumination as she strode into the inky darkness. It had been over a century since she'd visited this place, and she had nearly forgotten how desolate it was.

"Halt!"

Abruptly, Saturn found a jeweled staff pointed at her throat. She didn't flinch. Such a welcome was to be expected when one entered Sailor Pluto's domain. There was no room to be polite or lenient when the security of space-time was at stake.

As Saturn was a fellow senshi, she was allowed to keep her head. The time guardian lowered her Garnet Rod and nodded a greeting to the girl she had once viewed as a daughter.

They did not embrace or smile or speak of the world of light. Pluto had learned long ago that a taste of companionship made the years of solitude that followed seem all the more empty. Absence did indeed make the heart grow fonder—and weaker. One in her position could not afford to be weak. When all was said and done, she must love her duty and forsake the world. No one understood that better than Saturn.

They got straight to business. "You're concerned about the time distortion I detected around the robot?"

"I… don't know what to make of it."

A long pause. Pluto turned her head to gaze into the abyss. "It was a small thing," she murmured. "If not for the circumstances, I would not even have taken note of it."

"Surely no one could have traveled through time without your knowledge." Saturn's voice was like that of a child seeking reassurance—full of fervent, unquestioning faith and a soft undercurrent of fear.

Pluto raised her staff to point at the ornately carved epistyle above the Time Gate, where a verse was inscribed: _Dinanzi a me non fuor cose create se non etterne, e io etterno duro._

Saturn dredged up a rusty memory of the Italian lessons Michiru had once forced her to take. "Before me nothing but eternal things were made, and I endure eternally," she translated after a moment of hesitation.

Pluto nodded. "The Time Gate transcends time. All the myriad doors lead to this same void between dimensions, where the 'me of here' stands guard."

"In other words, there is always a version of you guarding the gate."

"In theory, yes."

That small equivocal phrase, "in theory," stirred Saturn's growing doubt. Pluto never lied, but neither was she very forthcoming with the truth. "Then, how…?"

"Once upon a time, there was a woman named Meiou Setsuna." A slight tightening of her lips was the only sign she was struggling to remain stoic amidst the rush of memories. "My own life is part of the time-stream I protect. If the flow of time changes, so too will I change."

Saturn's mind whirled, trying to sort it all out. "If an enemy could somehow alter history so that…" She faltered, cringing at her own words. "So that you were erased, they might be able to access the Time Gate from that point."

"Perhaps."

"But no one should be able to alter history if no one can cross through space-time."

"In theory."

Frustrated with all this uncertainty, Saturn pressed her for a straight answer. "What do you think caused the distortion?"

"It could be nothing," Pluto said. "A minor fluctuation in the time-stream, the residual ripple of a destiny that veered slightly off course. Such things are not unheard-of, especially after our Princess's foray into the past."

"Or?"

Pluto pursed her lips. "Or it could be that the change was so massive, so far-reaching, that I can no longer detect it because my own frame of reference is distorted."

Saturn shivered. "In that case, this could be even worse than the Black Moon incident. The future might be in danger."

"The future?" Pluto shook her head. "It is our present that is in jeopardy. If such a huge disturbance has occurred, space-time itself is unstable. Our universe is in the midst of an identity crisis."

Saturn shifted uneasily, studying the older woman for any hint that she might be withholding some secret. But those wine-colored eyes regarded her with stark honesty. Pluto had nothing left to hide, no more aces up her sleeve, and for the first time since the fight with the Moriae had begun, Saturn was truly afraid. The shadows around them seemed to swell with menacing portent, and the small bubble of light that surrounded the two soldiers no longer felt like enough to hold them at bay.

She managed a weak whisper. "I… need to get back to Usagi-chan."

Pluto agreed. "Stay as close to her as you can. She will need you in the coming days."

* * *

_Master…_

Ripidolite was in her room enjoying an aromatherapy bath when Jasper's salutation intruded on her mind. She sat up with a weary sigh and wrung out her long green hair. _What is it, Jasper?_

_I found the Pallas soldier at her home,_ the golem's telepathic voice rasped. _But Sailor Moon was not with her._

_Continue to track Sailor Moon,_ Ripidolite directed. _I'll send another golem to deal with that one._

Jasper murmured an acknowledgement and set off to follow Sailor Moon's energy trail.

With great reluctance, Ripidolite emerged from her bath. Wrapping a towel around herself, she knelt to draw a summoning circle on the damp floor. Maybe if she worked quickly, the water would still be warm when she finished.

* * *

Itokuro Mio was trying to decide whether olive polenta or pizza with olives would be better for dinner when a heavy knock on the door startled her. Puzzled, she went to greet the visitor, and was shocked to come face to face with a sailor soldier.

"Please, come in," Mio stammered, wondering what one of the queen's elite guardians could possibly want with her. Come to think of it, though, this soldier didn't look like any of the queen's. She was dressed in green, but she certainly wasn't Jupiter. She had sharp green eyes, foreign-looking features, and a very strange hairstyle. Mio had a vague memory of some tabloid rumor about a mysterious new soldier who wore a green uniform, Sailor… something else that started with "ju." There were a few others too. Some said they were special forces, doing the royal family's dirty work, and others said they were mercenaries or even invaders. But those were just rumors, or so she'd thought.

"How can I help you?" she asked.

The young woman fixed her with an unblinking stare. "Your daughter," she said without even bothering to introduce herself. "I need to speak with her."

Mio's brow knitted in worry. "Why? Is Atena-chan in some kind of trouble?"

"That's classified."

Mio found herself instinctively backing toward the bedroom door, blocking the stranger's path. "D-do you have a warrant for her arrest?" she asked.

The green-haired woman seemed taken aback. "I don't need a warrant," she sneered. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

Mio was sweating, but she stood her ground. Slowly, trying not to tremble, she shook her head. "No, I don't, and it doesn't matter. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

She knew she was insane. This woman probably had the power to vaporize her with a wave of her hand. And who did Itokuri Mio think she was, to stand in the way of the warriors of love and justice? Yet something in her gut told her this situation was wrong. Whoever this mysterious stranger was, she was a threat to Atena. If Mio knew nothing else, she knew that anyone who tried to threaten her daughter would have to get through her first.

Without warning, the soldier tackled her. They crashed through the bedroom door and landed with a thud on the carpet. Thrashing wildly, Mio somehow managed to kick the soldier off of her.

"Atena!" she cried. "Run!"

But Atena wasn't there. At the opposite end of the bedroom, a window hung open.

Mio was cornered. The soldier closed on her in two long strides. She threw a punch, but missed, smashing into Atena's dresser instead. Jagged pieces of plastic flew everywhere as the furniture splintered.

Thinking fast, Mio lunged for the closet. "Itokuri Special Home Defense System!" she cried, flinging the door open. The mountain of knickknacks within toppled onto her attacker's head, and then all was still.

She tiptoed over to the junk pile with a growing lump in her throat. Was the girl dead? Had she actually killed someone? With shaking hands, she reached out and lifted a sneaker off the mound. A furious green eye stared back at her from underneath.

Before Mio had a chance to scream, a hand shot out and grabbed her by the throat. The soldier stood, shaking off garbage, and held the struggling woman high in the air. It flung her headfirst into the wall. She dropped to the ground, unconscious. Her assailant stood over her limp body, preparing to deliver the final blow.

"Gossamer Veil!"

A glob of clear fluid pinned the false soldier's hand to the wall and bubbled out to encase her in a sticky, transparent net. Shrieking angrily, she turned to face the interloper.

Sailor Pallas struck a pose. "Monster who is impersonating our friend! The Soldier of Cleverness, Sailor Pallas, won't forgive you for this!"

With a gurgling hiss, the golem wrenched its own arm out of its socket. Green tendrils sprouted from the wound. The Sailor Juno skin peeled off like a spent seed husk, and a hideous green monster with eight vine-like arms emerged. It shredded the magical barrier as easily as a wet paper lantern. One of its arms whipped toward Pallas, who ducked out of the way just in time.

"Ceres!" Pallas shouted into her comlink. "A fake Juno is in my house!"

"All right. Keep your distance and wait for me to get there. I repeat, do not engage."

"Um, too late."

Ceres muttered several very unladylike words. "I have to find the princess, Pallas!"

"It's okay! I think I can handle this—ow!" Pallas squeaked, staggering back from an attack she had not quite managed to avoid. The wrist strap on her comlink broke, and it went sailing across the room.

"Pallas? Pallas!" Ceres called urgently, but there was no reply. She wavered. If she went back to help Pallas, she would be putting Usagi at risk. This attack might be a distraction intended to separate the princess from her guardians. But she would never forgive herself if Pallas got hurt because she had abandoned her.

_Then I'll live with the guilt,_ she decided. _The princess comes first._

* * *

Usagi strolled down the road, humming a few lines from the contemporary classical piece she was playing for her next violin recital, and found her mind filled with thoughts of Helios. Certain notes reminded her of him, and once she realized it there was no undoing the association. A light, playful passage brought to mind the fluttering of Pegasus's wings, or a warm, swelling chord reminded her of his smile. She mimed her hand position in the air, trying to focus on technique, but it was no use. She blamed Seresu.

About halfway to the train station, she was contacted by none other than Seresu—or rather, Sailor Ceres.

"Usagi-chan! Atena-chan is in trouble!"

All thoughts of music and boys vanished. Usagi transformed and doubled back toward Atena's house. "On my way! I'll meet you there."

"Wait. I'm coming to you first," said Ceres, switching her communicator to GPS mode.

"No you aren't," said Sailor Moon, and shut down hers. The pink dot that indicated her position vanished from Ceres's map as her signal was lost.

Ceres muttered several more very unladylike words.

* * *

Ripidolite let out a contented sigh as she settled back into her still-warm bath water. She gradually relaxed all her muscles, inhaled the calming scent of chamomile and lilies, and waited for her servants to report the death of Pallas and the capture of Sailor Moon.

_Master._

Ripidolite growled and sat up. _What is it, Jasper?_

_I have found her._

_Oh? Already?_

Ripidolite assumed a meditation pose. A soft green glow surrounded her body as she called on her power, reaching out to connect Jasper's mind to her own. As their senses merged, the view of a quiet Hachioji subdivision came into focus. She could smell Sailor Moon, could almost taste her energy.

Moments later, the girl rounded the corner at breakneck speed. Her long pink pigtails fluttered behind her as she ran. Crimson eyes remained fixed on her destination. She didn't notice Jasper until the golem was upon her.

Jasper's arms struck like twin snakes. It seized Sailor Moon by the waist and pulled her in. Its hair sprang to life, a writhing mass of briars. They knit themselves around the helpless soldier. Sailor Moon tore at them until her hands were a bloody mess, but there were too many. Soon she was held fast in a thorny cocoon.

Jasper's abdomen peeled open, and four hairy brown roots emerged. They slowly wrapped around Sailor Moon's arms and legs. She screamed in pain as rootlets burrowed into her skin, and then she felt her power leaving her body in a sickening rush. Her limbs twitched in a wild, mindless attempt to escape, but the vines may as well have been iron bars. And because she had shut off her comlink, there was no one coming to save her.

_Don't kill her just yet, Jasper,_ Ripidolite ordered. _Drain all her power, until she can't hold that form anymore. I need to see the truth with my own eyes._

It didn't take long. With a final shuddering gasp, Sailor Moon fell unconscious. Her sailor fuku exploded into light and ribbons. Jasper retracted its vines, lowering her still form to the pavement so Ripidolite could see that she was, without question, Princess Lady Serenity.

Ripidolite's whole body went rigid. Her throat was dry, and a low buzzing seemed to fill her ears. Her whole mind was consumed by one unbearable truth. Sailor Moon was the princess. Part of her had known it was true from the moment she heard it. Now there was no more room for denial.

_But that means…_

Ripidolite bit her lip, ruining her fresh coat of lipstick. Her knotted fists trembled; one of her nails broke, but she didn't notice. Jasper waited patiently for orders. No matter what she did now, there was no turning back.

She made her decision. _Kill her._

"Hyaaah!"

A blur of green and white dropped from above onto Jasper's head. Startled, Ripidolite jerked back and lost her mental connection with the golem.

Sailor Juno was amazed she still had the strength to move, let alone fight. She was running on two hours of sleep and four cans of Green Cow energy drink. But the need to protect her princess overcame everything.

She used her momentum to drive the monster's head into the concrete. It rolled and tried to pin her down, but she punched it in the chest and escaped. She dropped into a low crouch, placing herself between her enemy and the unconscious Usagi.

With a low ripping sound, rows upon rows of cruel thorns emerged from Jasper's skin. The surface of its body oozed with putrid purple sap. It flexed its arms eagerly, inviting Juno to try her luck.

Juno aimed a kick at Jasper's knee, but her strength was useless against its armored shell. It answered with a fierce left hook. Juno blocked the blow, but the poison ate through her gloves and burned her hands. Grunting in pain, she shoved the monster away from her and retreated. It found its balance and charged at her again.

Muttering an apology to the taxpaying citizens of Crystal Tokyo, Juno grabbed hold of a fire hydrant. She wrenched the cap off and released a stream of pressurized water into Jasper's face. It staggered back, clawed hands thrashing in a useless effort to shield itself. Juno clocked it in the head with the cap for good measure.

Jasper rolled to the side and got back on its feet. It kicked the hydrant over, and a fountain of water sprayed into the air. Big drops rained down on the street as the two combatants squared off once more. Juno dodged a flurry of kicks and punches from Jasper and tried to counter with her own, but between its thorns and its poisonous skin, every blow she landed injured her. Meanwhile, her enemy showed no sign of weakening. She looked for vulnerable spots while doing her best to lead it away from the princess.

Eager to finish her off, Jasper threw a downward punch, trying to knock her to the ground. She sidestepped, caught the monster off balance, and brought her stiletto heel down on the back of its neck. It sank in with a dull cracking sound, and Jasper crumpled into a heap.

_Finally_, Juno thought.

But Jasper was far from defeated. The side of its limp body started to bulge. Something was stirring under the skin, swelling like a gigantic blister. Alarmed, Juno backed away.

The lump burst open, flinging a spray of noxious slime in every direction. The creature that emerged was about four meters tall and looked like a cross between a hooded cobra and a Venus flytrap. Its segmented body sported a vibrant pattern of black, green, and purple stripes. It had no eyes, and its face was all mouth. Parting its slimy, fanged jaws, it belched a cloud of sickly-sweet gas at Juno.

She immediately felt light-headed. The world spun; her vision twisted and doubled. Her limbs started to twitch in uncontrollable spasms. She pitched forward, dropping to her knees. All she could see was the monster's glistening teeth…

"Not now," she gasped. "Not after I've come all this way."

A tiny arc of electricity formed on her fingertip. She poured all her willpower into that single dancing point of light. Vesta had believed in her. Usagi's life and the future of their world were counting on her now. The spark glowed, intensified, multiplied.

_After everything we went through, I won't let it end like this!_

Two sparks became four, and four became eight. Soon they were innumerable, a brilliant cloud that burned away the poisonous fog. She felt her friends' hope adding to her own, along with their anguish, their fears and frustration and unfinished dreams. Their hearts cried out in unison with power that focused in her outstretched hands. It all came down to this moment.

Jasper lunged forward to swallow her.

"Diamond Storm!" Juno screamed, flinging the compressed ball of lightning straight into the monster's gaping throat. A ball of pale green light enveloped the whole street, accompanied by a booming thunderclap and the scent of scorched grass.

When the dust cleared, Juno stood victorious.

She knelt down to check on the princess and found a steady pulse. Other than a few minor injuries, she could have been asleep. Though Juno's first-aid knowledge was rudimentary at best, she was pretty sure Usagi was going to be okay. Relief swept over her. At last, she had found her. At last, her and Vesta's long odyssey was at an end.

Moments later, she heard the cold click of heels on the pavement behind her. A figure in a pink sailor suit was approaching with a menacing gleam in her eyes. She looked like Sailor Ceres, but Juno knew better than to trust appearances by now.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," she grumbled under her breath. She forced her aching body to assume a fighting stance once more.

* * *

Even as Pallas mourned the destruction of her almost-clean room, the irony of her mother's salvation was not lost on her. If she had listened to Seresu and organized her closet, there would have been no junk-avalanche to delay the golem and she might not have arrived in time.

Now, squaring off with her enemy in dangerous close-quarters combat, the clutter came to her aid once more. After a moment of frantic digging, she found a golf club. Standing atop the mound with her makeshift weapon, she fancied herself a modern-day William Wallace, swinging a great sword and beating back the invading vines with a mighty war-cry. She succeeded in chopping off a couple before the fantasy dissolved—the golem wrenched the club from her hands and snapped it like a twig. Another of its arms grabbed her by the ankle and jerked her off the ground.

Thrashing and kicking in terror, Pallas called on her power without thinking. Ice crystals surged down her leg and froze the vine that held her. One more kick and it shattered easily. Breaking free, she plunged into the junk pile again, and came up with… a jump rope.

It would have to do.

She squinted in concentration, channeling her planet's power into the old toy. A glowing blue aura wrapped around the frayed nylon. A miniature snow flurry kicked up as she formed it into a loop and twirled it above her head.

"Pallas Sub-zero Frost Lasso!" she shouted, inventing an attack name on the fly.

Imbued with her magic, the jump rope elongated and wrapped itself around the monster, pinning down its menacing arms. Ice crystals sprouted from every surface it touched. The golem's struggles gradually ceased as numbness took over. Soon it was encased in a solid block of ice. Pallas snapped the rope like a whip, and her enemy's body shattered into snowflakes.

* * *

Ceres arrived on the scene to find her worst fears realized. Horrible-smelling fog clouded the area, and the stench of smoke and ozone made her cough. A broken fire hydrant spewed water into the street. In the center of the destruction, Usagi was lying unconscious on the ground. Ceres could barely make out the silhouette of a woman bending over her. Narrowing her eyes, she marched forward, making her footsteps as loud as possible in hopes of scaring whoever it was away from her princess.

The stranger stiffened and sprang to her feet. The fog thinned, revealing her face. It looked like Sailor Juno, but Ceres knew better than to trust appearances by now. Pallas had reported a fake Juno attacking her house, just before her comlink went offline… Dread gripped Ceres' heart.

The Juno lookalike was glaring at her. It dropped into a fighting stance, challenging her. That was all the invitation she needed. She rushed her opponent, her body igniting with a pink aura as she ran. Hundreds of golden flower petals spiraled around her and gathered in her hands. The other girl braced herself to block, expecting a head-on assault, but at the last second Ceres sprang into an aerial somersault and came down on her from above.

"Amazones Bouquet Twister!" she screamed, releasing her power at point-blank range.

Caught off guard, her opponent was completely defenseless. The attack connected with a brilliant burst of pink light. As the green-clad soldier went down, she let out a low, painful grunt that was surprisingly human.

Ceres twirled in midair and made a graceful landing. She looked down at her defeated foe with contempt. Was this one a robot, or one of those plant creatures? Whichever it was, it was surprisingly weak compared to the ones they'd faced before. It hadn't even shown its true form.

Her communicator chimed.

"Hi Ceres!" Pallas chirruped. "Don't worry about the fake Juno! I took care of it."

"Pallas! Thank goodness you're all right!" Ceres stopped short and frowned. If that was the fake Juno…

It couldn't be. This one had to be another fake. She had seen the girl trying to kill Usagi, right? No, actually she hadn't. But she would have explained herself if she was the real thing, right? Then again, Ceres hadn't given her much of a chance. Then why did she seem threatened by the approach of a sailor senshi, as if she'd been caught in a crime? Well, come to think of it, with all the fakes running around, Ceres probably would have been wary too.

She felt the color drain from her face. Confirming her worst fears, the unconscious soldier in front of her reverted to a bruised and battered human girl.

"What have I done?" Ceres wailed.

* * *

The door to Petalite's office swung open with a soft creak. She looked up from the heavy, leather-bound volume she'd been poring over to see Ripidolite standing before her desk. The green-haired woman stood stiff-backed, arms frozen at her sides. Petalite arched an eyebrow at her and turned back to her book.

"It seems your golem was a failure," she observed.

"No more golems," Ripidolite declared with such intensity that it made her glance up again. "I'm going to face them myself."

Petalite's eyes challenged her, but she didn't budge. "You've always given me free rein to plan my operations…"

"A policy which I have come to regret as of late."

"Not this time," hissed Ripidolite. "I will come back with the Silver Crystal, or not at all."

Petalite's eyes narrowed. "It's not like you to be so rash."

"Who are you to decide what is or is not like me?" Ripidolite snapped.

Petalite's chair toppled over with a crash. She lurched to her feet and backhanded her daughter.

"I am your superior, and I am your mother," she growled, her voice quivering in anger. "You will show me the respect that is due me."

Ripidolite's face was a petrified mask. "It was my sixteenth birthday," she whispered. "We were in our kitchen lighting the candles. Then there was a loud noise outside. The windows shattered. Something hit me on the head, and then… then I was here at HQ." Her voice rose in frustration. "What happened? Why don't I remember?"

She looked Petalite in the eye and asked a question that made the older woman's jaw drop. "Am I really your daughter?"

Petalite struck again, slapping her so hard it left a welt on her cheek. The sound seemed to reverberate through the room, and in the aftermath, there was a long silence. The older woman's face was red with rage. Her breath came out in heavy gasps. Ripidolite regarded her with a hollow, sulking stare.

Drawing herself up regally, Petalite attempted to regain control of the situation. "You have forty-eight hours to plan your assault on the Crystal Palace," she declared. "At the end of that time you will present your plan to me, and _if_ I approve you will carry it out at what I determine is the opportune moment. Pyrolusite and Hypnos will provide you with any tactical information you need."

To her disbelief, Ripidolite defied her again. "Not Pyrolusite." Petalite looked ready to slap her again until she added, "I don't want him or Calomel to know about this."

Petalite softened. "You're trying to protect them, aren't you?"

"Hardly," Ripidolite snorted. "I don't want them in my way."

Petalite gave her a long, hard glance. Then she righted her chair and sat down.

"Very well. Dismissed."

With a perfunctory bow, Ripidolite stalked out.

"Forty-eight hours," Petalite reminded her as she slammed the door.

* * *

When Mrs. Itokuri opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was another sailor soldier. She suppressed a scream.

But this girl was different from the stern, menacing figure who had confronted her earlier. Wide, ice-blue eyes stared down at her with concern. There was something soothing and altogether natural about her presence, like being with an old friend. Indeed, the longer Mio looked at her, the more she got the feeling she knew her from somewhere…

"Are you okay?" the girl asked.

Unable to find her voice, Mio nodded.

"Great! Gotta run," the girl said with a cheerful singsong voice that was, once again, strangely familiar. She bounded to the door, then paused to glance back. "By the way, I was thinking… wouldn't it be nice if you helped your daughter clean up your bedroom?"

Mio pouted. "Most of this is her stuff!"

The girl looked peeved for some reason. "Mm, if you say so. Anyway, bye!"

In a twinkling, she was gone. And it was not until several hours later that Mio would wonder just exactly how the stranger had known that she had a daughter.

* * *

"She's heavy," Usagi complained as she and Seresu dragged the unconscious Juno (or rather, Juno's civilian form) toward the Crystal Palace. Though the princess had regained consciousness and was feeling all right, she had lost far too much energy to use her healing power. Seresu wouldn't even let her try to transform. Teleporting was right out. Instead, they were stuck carrying their companion back to the palace for conventional medical treatment. Luckily, her injuries weren't grave enough to be life-threatening. They had gotten some awfully strange looks on the train, though.

"None of this would have happened if you had listened to me," Seresu chided.

Mercury and a few attendants rushed out to meet them on the lawn. They eased Juno onto a hover-gurney and whisked her off to the infirmary.

A few minutes later, Pallas joined, them, and they entered the palace together. Inside, a solemn Venus beckoned them to the throne room. The king and queen were waiting, flanked by Mars, Jupiter, and the Four Heavenly Kings. Disapproval radiated from their features. Usagi steeled herself for a lecture from her mother. But this time, the queen sat in icy silence, and it was Endymion who spoke.

"Princess Lady Serenity," he said, and Usagi gulped. He only used that name when she was in big trouble. "Your actions today put you in great danger, as I'm sure you are aware. You should not have broken contact with your guardians."

"But Pallas was—" Usagi tried to interrupt.

"I know what your intentions were. But your life is not just your own," the king admonished. "You are the one and only heir to the Silver Millennium, and the emblem of hope for Crystal Tokyo."

"Why should my life, solely by virtue of my position, be worth more than Atena's?" Usagi protested.

At that moment, Sailor Saturn emerged from a shadowy corridor behind the thrones. "For the same reason," she said, "that Sailor Pluto, solely by virtue of her position, must spend eternity in solitude."

The sign of her planet glowed on her brow. For a brief instant, she let down her guard and allowed Usagi to glimpse the darkness behind her violet eyes, to remind her of the weight of their birthright. For a brief instant, she banished Hotaru and was only Saturn, fate incarnate, cold and unforgiving. Her friend shuddered under her empty stare.

"Life is not fair, Princess."

Usagi fixed her eyes on the floor. "Sorry," she mumbled at length.

The king let out a heavy sigh and reached out to Usagi. "I'm just glad you're safe."

For the first time, Usagi noticed the gray flecks at her father's temples, the tired lines gathering at the corners of his eyes. His movements, while still elegant, were slower and more labored. The loss of the Golden Crystal was taking its toll on his body. But that wasn't the only reason.

She stepped into his embrace. "I'm sorry, Papa," she whispered, and meant it this time.

Sailor Mars fastened a vice-like grip on Seresu and Atena's shoulders. "Did you know," she said in a deadly sweet voice, "that the royal family keeps forty-eight purebred Arabian stallions in their stables? Tonight you two will clean every stall. A gentle reminder to never, _ever_ let the princess out of your sight again."

Even Seresu knew better than to complain as the furious senshi marched them off to face their punishment.

* * *

Atena staggered home late that evening, feeling more pain than she ever had after a fight with a monster. The work alone would have made her sore, and being kicked repeatedly by nervous horses certainly didn't help. Her ear was bruised and bloody where Mars had pinched her every time she made a mistake. _She must have a lot of pent-up frustration,_ Atena thought grumpily.

The moment she stepped inside, her mother pounced on her with a crushing hug. "Oh, Atena-chan! Where have you been? I was so worried!"

Atena pretended to sniffle. "I was worried too! I heard voices in the other room, and you said something about a search warrant, and I got really freaked out and so I climbed out the window and hid in the tree in the neighbor's yard. And then there was this really loud crash and shouting and it was scary… I thought you were dead!"

Her mother patted her back as she faked sobs. "It's okay now."

In an attempt to maintain some sense of normalcy, she sat Atena down at the table and opened a can of olives to share. Atena picked at the fruit with a blank expression that her mother mistook for a state of shock. They tried not to look at the smashed-in bedroom door.

"I don't want to scare you," Mio said gently. "But you need to know what happened today. I was attacked… by a sailor soldier."

Atena's head snapped up. "No way!" she exclaimed. "It couldn't have been a real sailor soldier! They wouldn't do something like that!"

Mio held up her hands in a calming gesture. "I need you to believe me. She wasn't one of the queen's guardians. She was one of those strange new soldiers people have been talking about. No one knows who they are or where they come from."

"There has to be some misunderstanding!"

"I know what I saw," Mio insisted. "After this, I think it's pretty clear that they're dangerous. At least, some of them are. There was another one who appeared later. I was unconscious… I think she saved me. But Atena, for your sake and mine, please listen to me. You can't just trust anybody who wears that uniform."

Atena's head drooped. "Sailor soldiers who carry the protection of the stars are the chosen defenders of the galaxy," she murmured, as if reciting a mantra. "They're not supposed to make mistakes."

"Most of them are very good people. But even though they have those wondrous powers… underneath it all, they're still human."

"Yeah," Atena sighed. "I know."


	12. Heart of a Soldier

**Heart of a Soldier**

Saturn held her glaive parallel to the floor, bracing herself as the next wave of enemies materialized around her. They came at her from all sides, a mass of eyeless faces and grasping hands.

With savage precision, she hooked the curved blade of her weapon under one attacker's ribcage and ripped his chest open. She flung the corpse over her head into another enemy behind her, then stabbed the butt of her glaive through both of them. A sweeping slash drove the rest of the group back, buying her a few more seconds, which was all the time she needed.

Her glaive hissed through the air as she thrust the blade skyward. Purple sparks swirled around the tip, condensing into a ball of white-hot light. A howling wind filled the room, rushing in to join the expanding energy orb. With a searing flash, it passed the critical point and light collapsed into darkness. Saturn swung down her glaive, smashing the tiny magical black hole she'd created into the floor.

"Silence Glaive Surprise!"

A devastating blast leveled everything and everyone in the room. For a few seconds, everything was drowned in darkness. Gradually the shadows receded, revealing Saturn in the center of a ring of corpses. They were scattered around her in a radial pattern, like the petals of a grotesque flower. With grim precision, the Soldier of Ruin spun to face the front wall and waited.

A buzzer blared from a speaker on the ceiling. The dead bodies blinked out of existence, and the reflective walls of the holo-arena turned transparent as the outer lights came back up to full intensity. "Simulation Level 9 clear at three minutes and forty-seven seconds," Venus announced from the observation room. "Excellent as usual, Saturn."

The younger soldier wore a look of somber satisfaction. She did not like this aspect of her job, but she liked to do it well. She made a formal salute and bow, which Venus returned.

"Dismissed."

The light in the observation room clicked off, and Saturn was alone once more. Sudden weariness overtook her, and she leaned against the wall.

It was one thing to fight nameless holographs, when she knew they weren't people with lives and memories and dreams. But the Moirae were so _human_, and their hatred of the sailor soldiers was pure and absolute. So far, it seemed they could not be reasoned with. She recalled the look of loathing Pyrolusite had given them. It was not the face of a madman who enjoyed suffering for its own sake. He had been arrogant and derisive at every turn, but she had sensed a deep, wholehearted conviction driving him. He was not struggling to justify his actions. It was as though he had already come to terms with the necessity of killing her, because she was the monster who could not be reasoned with.

The soldier in her wondered if she would be able to plunge her blade into his chest without flinching. The human in her hoped that she could not.

The sound of gloved hands clapping made her glance up to a window on the far wall. When she recognized the man perched on the windowsill, her whole body tensed by reflex.

Pegasus Kamen flashed her a dazzling smile. "That was a good show."

"How did you get in here?" she demanded.

"I have my ways," he replied, his smile never wavering. He slid down to the floor with unnatural grace.

She sized him up as he strode toward her. "What do you want?"

"I came to warn you. More android replicas of the sailor soldiers have appeared in the city. In fact, I fought one of you not too long ago."

Saturn's eyes widened when she noticed a red stain spreading across his sleeve. _He's wounded._

Her nurse's instincts took over. "Hold still," she instructed. She found a first-aid kit mounted on the arena wall and took out some antiseptic. "Let's get that cleaned up."

"I'm fine," he insisted, jerking his arm away.

"No, you're not. Let me see."

He shook his head stubbornly. She chased him around the room until she had him backed against a wall. She let out an impatient sigh.

"If you hold still, I'll give you a lollipop," she offered sarcastically.

He sprang up like a puppy expecting a treat. "Really?"

She gave him an exasperated look. He blinked a few times, then suddenly forced a laugh. "Ah, you were joking, weren't you? I'm sorry. It's just… that stuff really stings," he said, pointing at the bottle in her hand.

"It'll keep that cut from getting infected."

"Rather take my chances," he muttered.

Saturn found herself fighting the urge to smile. "I promise to be quick about it."

With great reluctance, he rolled up his sleeve and allowed her to inspect his injury. At a glance, she recognized the handiwork of the Silence Glaive. The familiarity of it made her shudder.

She was halfway through tending the wound before she remembered to be suspicious of him. Then she kicked herself for letting her guard down so easily. His vulnerability had lured her in. Was that part of his plan? She kept a wary eye on him as she applied the medicine. He was chewing on his lower lip, making a valiant effort not to whimper. She wondered if this was really the same dashing rescuer who had stepped in front of Carnelian's flamethrower without batting an eye. _You're not nearly as cool as you look,_ she thought.

"So I do manage to look cool, sometimes?" he replied, and she realized she had spoken aloud. He grinned. "I'll take what I can get."

She allowed herself a tiny smile.

"Do you know how to tell the difference between a real sailor soldier and a fake?" Pegasus said out of the blue. "I just figured it out. They can copy your magic and your pretty faces, but they can't copy your shine."

"You mean our Sailor Crystals? It's unfortunate, but they are able to mimic the aura quite effectively…"

"I mean your hearts."

She fell silent as she finished treating him. Though she hated herself for it, she was starting to see why Usagi wanted to trust him. He possessed a rare combination of charm and sincerity—or at least, the illusion of sincerity. With compliments like that, he knew just how to make a sensitive girl like Usagi feel special.

On the other hand, here was Saturn, coldly telling her princess that life was not fair. If she were in Usagi's place, which voice would she rather listen to?

She could feel his eyes on her, and avoided meeting them. Instead she watched his hands, waiting for the slightest aggressive motion, any sign of ill intent.

"Tell me, Sailor Saturn. Why don't you trust me?" Pegasus asked.

"I can tell you're no android," she conceded, "but I wonder if you're our friend."

"Have I been your friend?"

"You helped us out once, but that's hardly enough to make me certain of your motives."

"I'd rather not interfere when I'm not needed."

"In other words, you'd rather not place yourself in harm's way if you can avoid it?"

"You don't understand," he said, a hint of frustration in his voice. He looked like he meant to say more, but then changed his mind. "I don't have to help you at all, you know."

"That's right. You don't. So why do you?" Saturn challenged.

"I… can't bear to see cute girls get hurt?"

She did not look convinced.

He sighed. "All right. I can see why you're skeptical. But if I'm for real, you'll see my shine."

Saturn gave him a hard, scrutinizing look. After a long pause, she nodded slowly, and he remembered to breathe.

"How long did it take you to figure out that fake senshi wasn't me?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"Well, when I was still alive after three minutes and forty-seven seconds…" He chuckled, his easy grin returning. "One thing's for sure, that robot couldn't fight half as well as you."

Saturn removed her gloves. Then, to his astonishment, she cradled his injured arm between her hands. Her fingers were soft and slender, her touch remarkably gentle. He found it hard to believe those same hands had been slaughtering a horde of youma just minutes earlier.

Midnight-purple eyes locked with his, and he was overcome with a sense of solemn wonder. It was the sort of feeling a person might get when gazing at ancient ruins—majestic beauty touched with a hint of tragic mystery. Drawn into her darkness, his senses were enveloped in silence, a silence that filled rather than emptied them. It was the silence of a hummingbird resting its wings, of a forest in winter, of the infinite night just before the birth of the universe.

"There are other things a fake senshi can't do."

A tingling sensation rushed up his arm, hot and cold, painful and soothing all at once. Before he could comprehend it, it was over, and she pulled her hands away. With a fingertip he traced the barest remnant of a scar, all that remained of his wound. He looked up at her, his face bright with admiration.

"Hey… thanks."

A beam of sunlight flooded through the window above, and for a moment all Saturn could see was shimmering golden light. When it faded, he was gone.

* * *

An oppressive silence hung over Petalite's office, broken only by the click-click of her nails scrolling through the battle plans on Ripidolite's tablet PC. When she had reviewed the last screen, she laid it on the desk and regarded the young soldier sitting across from her. Ripidolite returned the stare without a hint of uncertainty—or deference. Petalite bristled inwardly at the girl's insubordination, but her porcelain features remained smooth and expressionless.

"So," she said in a voice that revealed nothing. "This is what you came up with."

"It's a sound strategy."

"That is mine to decide," Petalite replied crisply.

Their eyes did battle. Ripidolite sniffed in frustration.

"If you have objections, I would love to hear them."

"For one, it places the royal family in unreasonable danger."

Ripidolite spread her hands in a gesture of agreement. "What better way to lure Sailor Moon out?"

"You cannot rely on Sailor Moon to be predictable," Petalite admonished. "She is an astral vision, a lucid dream. You may think you can control her, but the moment you dare to believe you understand her, she will do the unexpected. Even I know very little about her."

Ripidolite planted her hands on the desk and leaned forward, putting her face inches from the older woman's. "You know more than you're telling," she snarled.

"Sit. Down," Petalite commanded.

The green-haired woman eased back into her chair, scowling all the while.

Petalite folded her hands and frowned her disapproval, but nonetheless acquiesced. "If it will satisfy your curiosity… Sailor Moon is a powerful warrior, one of the royal family's personal bodyguards. She is the favorite of the queen, and is entrusted with the protection of the Illusion Silver Crystal. But our great Queen Moros has seen the truth: that she is fated to betray the royalty and hand over the crystal to their enemies, who will use it to destroy the entire galaxy. Before that happens, we have to take it from her. The people of this world will not understand now, but in the end they will see that everything we did was to save them." Her voice took on an aggravated tone as she added, "And it would be much easier if you would simply follow my orders."

Ripidolite's face hardened. "What would you do," she asked, "if everything we were fighting for was a lie?"

"Queen Moros would never lie to us," Petalite insisted. There was something subservient and automatic in her reply that Ripidolite found infuriating. Without waiting to be dismissed, she grabbed her tablet and left. Petalite's indignant shouts followed her out the door.

As she stalked away from the office, she nearly tripped over a cloaked form. When she saw who it was, she had to hold back a shiver.

"Aether?"

He said nothing, did not even look at her as he brushed past, but she felt him press something into her palm. A scrap of paper. On it was written, in tiny, bold pen strokes: _The Glass Hour, 8-5-4 Ginza, Chuo-Ku. 18:30 tonight._ She looked from the paper to Aether's retreating figure, utterly bewildered.

"Hey! Wait!" she called, but he had melted into the shadows and disappeared.

* * *

The five senior members of the Crystal Juuban Junior Herald's editorial staff gathered in an anxious huddle next to Souga Miruki's table. Their editor-in-chief had only been back for a few days, but she had slipped into her old role with ease. Already she was acting as though she'd never been gone, and clearly expected everyone else to act that way too.

This would have been all well and good with Uehara Kai, Miruki's right-hand woman who had taken over in her absence. Kai had secretly enjoyed her brief "promotion," though not without some guilt, considering the circumstances. But there had been no question in her mind that she would step aside when Miruki returned. Miruki was the sort of person who held a group together. She knew when to push them and when to back off, when to be flexible and when to stand firm. Under her leadership, they got things done, and she was far more popular than Kai would ever be. Kai could accept that.

What she could not accept was this piece of badly mangled fan-fiction that their beloved editor was trying to pass off as a news story.

Sensing that some sort of discontent was brewing, Miruki turned away from her laptop to face the gathered group. "What's up, you guys?"

Glancing at the others for moral support, Kai cleared her throat. "Miruki-chan… I can't let you embarrass yourself by printing this."

Miruki's wounded expression stung her. She searched for a way to soften the blow, but before she could say anything, fashion and technology editor Noda Misato spoke up.

"Mysterious new Sailor Soldiers, including the legendary Sailor Moon, fighting a cyborg with a flamethrower? A magical flying Pegasus boy? And to top it off, you think you were abducted by aliens? Please tell me you're not serious about this crap."

Miruki's chin jutted in a stubborn pout. "You don't believe me?" Her eyes darted around the group and settled on Kai, who cringed under her look of betrayal. "Not even you, Kai-chan?" she whispered, her voice trembling on the edge of tears.

Masato, Misato's twin and the paper's advice columnist, looked mortified at his sister's lack of tact, and tried to make amends. "We know you went through quite an ordeal. Perhaps you haven't fully recovered yet? It would be fine if you want to take another week or two off."

Miruki sprang out of her chair, arms crossed indignantly over her chest. "I'm not crazy!" she shouted, startling them all. "You weren't there! I know exactly what I saw!"

Kai held up her hands, gesturing for everyone to remain calm. "Listen to yourself," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "You know we can't print this kind of tabloid sensationalism in a respectable newspaper. You know as well as I do that there is no such person as Sailor Moon."

"I never would have believed it myself, but I saw her!" Miruki exclaimed.

Ogawa Akiko, their sports columnist, tried in vain to reason with her. "Let's be logical about this. Everyone knows that Sailor Soldiers come from special starseeds that have a bond with a particular planet."

Yang Zhi Peng, the head current-events writer, chimed in with a sagacious nod. "In other words, one must have a bona fide planet to be a Sailor Soldier. That's how we know that there is no Sailor Pluto."

"And the moon is not a planet, you see," added Masato.

Miruki's lips moved, trying to form a counterpoint, but her mind refused to cooperate. For a brief instant, she doubted herself. But no. She had seen it. If only she'd had her camera…

"Please, Miruki-chan," Kai pleaded. "Personally, I believe you. I really do. But—"

"But not enough to stand up for me," Miruki said bitterly.

Kai bowed her head. "I'm sorry."

Miruki sat down in a huff, refusing to look at them. She felt very much like Galileo before the Pope.

Kai took her silence as surrender. Leaving Miruki to brood, she turned back to the rest of the team. "All right, everyone. We need a new feature story."

As the rest of the group deliberated on whether to write about the mock trial team's recent victory or the latest trends in cell phone accessories, Miruki made a silent vow.

_I'll prove it. I'll show the world that Sailor Moon is real!

* * *

_

Hotaru stepped out of the shower room, a damp towel slung over her shoulders. In truth, she hadn't needed to bathe—she barely broke a sweat during these simulated battles—but it made her feel cleaner nonetheless.

She found Sailor Venus waiting for her.

"Just so you know, I won't be around for the rest of the month," the blond senshi told her as the two of them strolled across the aerial bridge that connected the holo-training facility to the palace proper. "I'm traveling to Crystal Ankara on a… diplomatic excursion."

Hotaru read between the lines. The queen was probably sending her to investigate suspected Moriae activity in the Middle East. A visit from a high-profile figure like Venus would undoubtedly attract attention. Diplomacy was an excuse, part of their continued cover-up of the threat. All this deception from the normally honest monarchy was making Hotaru begin to doubt the queen's decision. Venus's face said that she felt the same way, but she would never defy Serenity.

"Other than your incident in Hachioji, things have been pretty quiet this week," Venus went on. "Mars and the others should be able to cover for me, but if they detect a serious threat, we may need to call you up."

Hotaru nodded. This was not a terribly uncommon occurrence. Though she was officially assigned to the princess's team, Saturn's long history with the queen's guardians made her a de facto "alternate" whenever they were absent—which seemed more often than not, these days.

It was strange how the peace of the new Silver Millennium stretched them thin, in a way the wars of the past never had. Back in the twentieth century, their chief concern was usually balancing their senshi duties with their social lives. Now they were soldiers, ambassadors, and queens, and they barely even had time to speak to one another anymore. Before the enemies came to Tokyo, seeking them out. Now they had to remain vigilant for evil that lurked in crevices and hid behind closed doors… or diplomatic immunity. Before the nine of them had one princess to protect. Now planets across the galaxy asked for (and expected) their aid. There were images to maintain, standards to set, political fictions to preserve. As they faced a threat on par with the Black Moon, the senshi were sure to feel the absence of their leader more than ever.

Venus stopped and clasped Hotaru's shoulder. "I want you to be ready on a moment's notice. Have Ceres and Pallas take over your bodyguard duties this week."

"Ma'am? Why not just put Ceres on standby as well?" Hotaru suggested.

Venus gave her an incredulous look. "Seresu Garnier? Are you joking? She can't even keep track of the princess, let alone handle a fourth of the palace's defense systems."

Hotaru chewed on her lower lip. Who had gotten herself locked in a closet by the very same princess during the Moirae's first attack?

But when she tried to picture Ceres manning Venus's battle station, she had to admit the older senshi had a point. Ceres would either freeze or panic. Then Jupiter or Mars would yell at her, and she would probably cry, and one of them would be forced to babysit her while Mercury had a panic attack of her own from being forced to pick up the slack. In short, things would end badly.

Venus shook her head. "Her heart's in the right place, but that girl's got a long way to go before I hand her the keys to the Crystal Palace. And for the last time, don't call me 'ma'am.' It makes me feel old."

Hotaru knew not to press the issue. "Understood."

They reached the end of the bridge and boarded an elevator. Venus swiped her crystal card to authorize them and punched the button for the second floor, where Hotaru's quarters were located. (As part of her cover identity, Hotaru officially lived in a studio apartment in Akasaka, but she spent most of her free time in her much more luxurious suite at the palace.) For a little while the two stood in silence, watching the light travel down the long row of buttons.

"Any word on Juno yet?" Venus asked.

"She's still unconscious. Her injuries were severe, but she's stable. Mercury is keeping her sedated for now. The nature of her wounds was… bizarre, to say the least. No traces of foreign material, when by all accounts there should have been. It's as if they were inflicted by some sort of… imaginary weapon."

"I saw a movie about something like that once," Venus mused. "The entire Earth was actually a virtual-reality program, and if you got injured in there, your body reflected it in the real world, and the lead actor was so hot—"

Hotaru was giving her a blank stare. Venus coughed and motioned for her to continue.

"We ran her identity, and found out that she was recently treated at Hiroo Hospital for lacerations and a minor head injury. From the looks of it, she's probably been in another scuffle or two since then."

Venus clucked her tongue sympathetically. "Poor girl. That's a rough way to start your sailor senshi career. Did you learn anything else about her?"

Saturn gave her all the information they were allowed to acquire. The girl's name was Osaki Junko. She was originally from the west coast of North America, in the region that had once been the United States (or perhaps Canada—it had been so long that Hotaru had forgotten exactly where the border used to be.) Osaki currently resided in Tokyo with her grandmother, who the senshi had not yet managed to contact. The law barred them from accessing the rest of her records without her consent. Hotaru promised that she and Mercury would continue overseeing the injured soldier's treatment until she awakened.

"Well, keep me posted," said Venus.

They stopped, and the doors opened to a long hall of blue-tinged crystal with floors of polished maple. Spiraling pilasters of pale, pink-veined _Rosa Aurora_ marble lined both walls, each topped with a silver capital in the shape of a Pegasus. With the afternoon sunlight shining through the crystal ceiling, the whole corridor glowed like a magical fantasy forest with boughs and branches of finest quartz. At the far end were two massive golden doors leading to Princess Lady Serenity's rooms. Just before them was another, smaller set of doors carved of fluorite and amethyst, which were inscribed with the symbol of Saturn.

Hotaru stepped off the elevator and dipped her head in farewell to Venus. Only when the doors had closed and she was alone once more did she allow herself an exhausted sigh. Between guarding Usagi, caring for Junko, and investigating the Moirae, she had found little time to sleep for the past few days. Now she was faced with the prospect of shouldering Venus's responsibilities in an emergency, and to ice the cake, her teachers had chosen this week to assign obscene amounts of homework. (Cover identity or not, Neptune had an eye on her grades, and accepted no excuses. She had found the time to save the world on multiple occasions, be a famous musician and artist, raise a child, and still graduate at the top of her class, and she expected no less from her daughter.)

But there would be time to worry about it all later in the evening. Yawning, Hotaru made her way to her room for some much-needed rest.

* * *

"Hey Seresu-chan," Atena said as the two of them were walking Usagi home, "can I tell my mom that I'm a senshi now? 'Cause it seems like the Moirae already know where I live."

"No," Seresu replied without hesitation. "Once she knows, she can never go back to not knowing. That might cause all kinds of problems in the future, even if we defeat the Moirae."

"When we defeat the Moirae," Usagi corrected.

"But Mom thinks the senshi are doing bad things!" Atena cried. "She doesn't know they're fakes!"

"It pains me to say it, but that might be for the best right now," Seresu said gently. "She'll be less vulnerable if she doesn't automatically trust every sailor soldier she meets."

The blue-haired girl puffed out her cheeks and pouted. "It's not fair. Atena is so… frustrated."

Usagi patted her back. "We know who we are. That's what matters."

"But they know who we are too," Seresu sighed, "and that's the problem."

Atena stopped suddenly. Her eyes crossed slightly and her lip poked out, the way it always did when she was thinking. "Now that you mention it, why haven't they used any fake Atenas, or Usagi-chans, or Seresu-chans?" she wondered out loud.

Seresu frowned. "That is an excellent question."

* * *

The Glass Hour's decor was hardly enough to impress Ripidolite, but at least the dining room was nice and quiet. She made her way between tables, one hand holding her green velvet cloche hat in place while the other clutched the front of her matching trenchcoat. She did not notice Aether until he beckoned to her from a booth in the back corner of the restaurant. He was dressed in a highly forgettable brown suit jacket, and his distinctive golden eyes were hidden behind a pair of equally boring rimless shades. For a brief instant, she wished she had not come.

Ironically, most of the reasons she had to be wary of him—that he seemed to operate independently of the other Moirae, that he and Petalite were often at odds, that Moros showed open disdain for him—were now credits to him in her mind. Even so, there was something about him that just felt wrong. His face was perpetually calm, but she sensed a conscious effort to keep maintain the façade. He seemed uncomfortable in his own skin.

She slid into the seat opposite him, eyeing him with calculated nonchalance. He held up two fingers in a prayer-like gesture and whispered a few words in a strange language. A strange, silvery distortion rippled through the air along the end of their table, and Aether smiled.

"I've created a wall of illusion," he explained. "It deflects the mind's eye. I guarantee that no one will notice us."

The idea that Aether had her alone in a tiny, enclosed space where no one could see them did nothing to alleviate Ripidolite's anxiety.

He removed and pocketed the sunglasses, then folded his hands on the tabletop. The mannerism was quite like Petalite's, which irritated her. But unlike the elder Moira, Aether's smile held no condescension.

"Have you told anyone else what you discovered?" he asked.

Ripidolite's eyes narrowed. There was only one discovery to which he could be referring: Sailor Moon's true identity. The fact that he seemed to have already known made her inclined to distrust him. But she was already too far down the rabbithole to walk away.

"No," she replied. "Not yet."

"That's good. Had you told Moros, you probably would have been killed."

He let that statement hang in the air as a waiter appeared with a pair of glasses. The man poured their drinks, and Ripidolite witnessed Aether's illusion wall in action. The waiter seemed unable to focus his attention on the occupants of the booth. Every time he tried to look at them, his eyes would glaze over, or he would be suddenly distracted by something on the other side of the room. He did not even notice that the liquid had overflowed Ripidolite's glass and was spilling into her lap, and continued to pour until Aether reached out and lifted the bottle away. Aether thanked him, and he wandered off in a daze. Grumbling softly, Ripidolite mopped up the spilled beverage.

"Moros has been lying to you," Aether went on. "Sailor Moon, who you now know to be the princess, will not betray the royal family of her own free will. But this much is true: the world is in danger as long as she has the Ginzuishou."

Ripidolite took a long, slow sip from her glass, her eyes never leaving his. She leaned across the table, rested her chin on her knuckles, and parted her lips in a venomous smile. "Let's pretend I believe you. That still doesn't explain why Moros wants Sailor Moon dead."

"I don't know," Aether admitted, "but I doubt she has the royal family's best interests in mind. And the truth is…" Licking his lips, he bent forward and lowered his voice to a whisper, in spite of his earlier confidence that no one would hear them. "Hypnos and I suspect that Moros isn't really the one in control here. We don't know who's pulling her strings, but we intend to find out."

"I always knew you two were up to something," said Ripidolite with a nasty leer. "You realize I'm in a position to get you in a lot of trouble."

"With whom?"

Her ugly parody of a smile faded; she knew as well as he did that she had no friends among her allies. Her eyes drifted across the restaurant, to the glass doors and the sunlit streets beyond. Suddenly, the world seemed very large and empty.

She drained her drink and stood. "We're finished here."

"Very well," Aether sighed, dispelling the illusionary wall with a wave of his hand. "Goodbye, Ripidolite."

Already walking away, she didn't hear his words or notice the hint of sorrow in his voice.

Mounting rage quickened her footsteps as she shoved her way out the door.

"Forget Moros," she muttered. "From here on out, I'm on my own."

* * *

Sunset began as a golden glimmer at the tips of the crystal skyscrapers and washed down the cityscape in deepening shades of orange and mauve. A low hum filled the air as thousands of flower-shaped photovoltaic cells folded up and retracted into the rooftops for the night. Disturbed by the motion, flocks of birds rose up all around the city in a flurry of wings and song. They circled briefly, tiny white specks against a glowing sky speckled with thin purple clouds, before returning once more to their hidden roosts. Below, the waters of Tokyo Bay were a moving tapestry of liquid light and glassy shadow. Usagi and Hotaru sat on the balcony outside the princess's room, gazing at the tranquil scene.

"So beautiful," Hotaru murmured. "You almost wouldn't know…"

Usagi leaned against the balcony railing and rested her head on her arms. "I'm tired of fighting," she sighed. "Tired of the worrying, the jitters, the waiting for something to happen. Especially the waiting." She pushed herself up on her hands and glared at the horizon. "If they're going to attack, I wish they'd go ahead and do it!" she burst out.

"You shouldn't say things like that," Hotaru admonished, grabbing the large bow on the back of her dress—just in case she happened to slip.

Usagi turned away from the sunset and sat down hard on the floor. Her dress billowed around her in a cloud of pink frills.

"I didn't mean it," she sighed, playing with the end of one of her pigtails. "Is it wrong, to wish you could quit being a sailor soldier? I wonder if Mama ever felt this way…"

Hotaru wanted to hug her and tell her that it was okay, that she was only human, that even the seasoned veterans of the Sailor Team felt overwhelmed at times. Instead she said, "We can't quit. It's our destiny."

Moments later, the screams began.

* * *

Pyrolusite stepped through the doors of his lab with a determined look on his face. Calomel recognized the sound of his boots and sprang up to greet him, trying to pretend she hadn't been playing with the robot parts scattered on his workbench.

"Hey, onii-kun. Are we going to do more training? This time I want to fight Ceres."

"Not today."

He brushed past her, headed for the back of the room, where the imitation sailor senshi were lined up in neat formation. Rows of lifeless faces stared straight ahead, waiting for his orders to awaken. Behind them, in the corner, he had put together a crude command center, mostly assembled from parts he'd found in the trash. He took his seat in a red leather captain's chair behind the bank of refurbished control panels. From here, he could remotely direct his robot army, monitoring their situation on a set of screens mounted on the wall. Today, he only needed one.

"Calomel! Fire up the 920M."

She looked surprised. "You're sending out your baby?"

The CR-920M was the second revision of Pyrolusite's Sailor Moon replica android. (Calomel had "accidentally" destroyed the first one during combat testing, after the AI had made a crack about her fashion sense.) This particular unit sported several modifications: improved mobility, a short-range phase shifter teleportation drive, and advanced speech synthesis protocols that allowed him to speak directly through the robot. Of all his creations, she was his favorite. Calomel suspected it was because her brain was reconstructed from Carnelian's salvaged CPU.

She skipped down the row of androids, to a large, cylindrical glass case on a raised platform. Fat wires sprouted from the top of the chamber like a tangle of serpents, trailing off into the obscure darkness of the ceiling above. The robot stood within, locked into place by a metal support attached to her back. Red neon lights in the floor cast a soft glow over her face. Her eyes were closed as if in sleep. Her head drooped slightly forward, allowing her soft pink hair to hang down over her shoulders, but as Calomel approached, she straightened. The doors of the chamber peeled back with a mechanical whine.

"Password, please," the android requested. Her voice was serene, but her fingertips twitched dangerously. One wrong syllable, and they would snap the intruder's neck.

"Same as Carnelian's was," said Pyrolusite when his sister hesitated.

Calomel grinned and leaned forward to whisper in the robot girl's ear: "Hazelnut."

The red lights in the floor flashed to green, and a high-pitched whirring sound filled the room. The robot snapped to attention. "Combat-type Replica model CR-920M 'Sailor Moon,' at your service."

"Prepare to track and intercept," Pyrolusite ordered. He pressed a key on his console. "Sending you the data on the target now."

The robot bowed and sprinted out of the lab without another word.

Calomel slid into her seat at the command center, a chair similar to Pyrolusite's, but slightly smaller and blue. "Who are we stalking today?" she asked.

Pyrolusite didn't answer.

* * *

A blue signal blazed from the top of the Crystal Palace, alerting the sailor soldiers that the palace grounds were under attack. Alarm sirens rose up all over Chiyoda ward, mingling with the cries of panicked citizens.

Sailor Moon burst from the palace entrance, charging down the road to the city. Breathlessly she shouted into her communicator, alerting Ceres and Pallas to the danger, as if it could have escaped their notice.

Ahead of her, something green and ugly was creeping over the buildings. As she drew closer, she realized it was a twining mass of briars. Windows shattered, walls buckled. Thick, sinewy vines burst from the pavement, overturning cars and uprooting trees. A wave of screaming people hurried just ahead of the carnage like seafoam before a roaring wave. In their terror, they jostled one another and trampled over anyone unfortunate enough to fall. Sailor Moon cringed at the sound of two vehicles colliding in the distance, followed by more screams and the tinkling of shattered glass.

A small dog ran down the sidewalk, crying for his master, who had lost him in the chaos. Panting laboriously, he struggled to outrun the vines, but his stubby legs could only carry him so far. Soon the briars ensnared him, bringing him down and dragging him into the ever-growing thicket. His cries became frantic wails, and then… silence.

Standing on a rooftop above it all, Ripidolite threw back her head and laughed. It was glorious, this newfound sense of freedom. No more fear. No more cryptic orders or nonsensical objectives. No more of those pesky exhortations against harming innocent people. She despised them all, and she would destroy them, just to prove that she could.

She spread her arms wide, and sparkling green waves of energy crackled down the vines. Purple blossoms sprouted from every surface, releasing a thick cloud of poison gas into the streets.

"Stop right there!"

Ripidolite whirled and glared at the interloper who seemed to have materialized out of thin air behind her. Long pink hair whipped around in the wind. The setting sun glinted off of pearl hairpins and a golden crescent moon.

"Well, well. Just who I was hoping to see."

She flicked her wrist, and two thick vines coiled around Sailor Moon's ankles. To her surprise, the slender girl took a step forward, effortlessly tearing the plants apart. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You've really outdone yourself this time, Ripidolite," Sailor Moon purred, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

After a few seconds of puzzled silence, a smirk spread over the taller woman's face. "Nice try, Pyrolusite."

"Ah, so you do have a brain in that fat head of yours." The words and sour facial expressions that were obviously her brother's were all the more grating when translated onto the pretty, feminine face of her arch-nemesis.

Without warning, the android lunged forward and grabbed Ripidolite by the throat. Choking, she seized the false Sailor Moon's wrist. Wriggling vines sprouted from the spot she had touched, wrapping around the android's fingers. The android let out a yelp and released Ripidolite as the vines bent her wrist backwards, tearing open the plastic skin, and began to creep into the joints of her arm. The twin pearl hairpins detached themselves from her head, revealing two small rockets, which launched themselves at the invading plants. When the smoke cleared, the hand hung uselessly, a mess of metal and wire.

"Why are you getting in my way?" Ripidolite growled, rubbing her neck.

"I don't know," said Pyrolusite-Moon. "Why did you rat on us?"

The android's other arm unfolded into what looked like a cross between a mini-gun and a giant taser. Ripidolite's eyes widened a fraction of an inch. She leaped out of the way a split second before a hundred electrified darts hammered into the concrete wall behind her. The android whirled, preparing to fire again, but Ripidolite twisted in midair and called down a storm of magical leaves, razor-sharp and hard as steel. Before the android could react, they had sliced off her other arm.

"Oh, you mean your and Calomel's little unauthorized training sessions? Petalite made it very clear that Calomel isn't ready to return to battle. I have to protect my dear baby sister," Ripidolite said sweetly. A dark stain was spreading on her side, and static crackled around the wound—a couple of the darts had found their mark. Not fatal, but distracting.

"Calomel's every bit as capable as you are, and you know it," Pyrolusite-Moon spat, lunging at her again. From a hidden compartment on her thigh, she fired a trio of homing missiles at Ripidolite. "I'm _more_ capable than you are. You just don't want us to kill the senshi before you get the chance. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I hear you're pretty good at betraying people."

Ripidolite somersaulted forward, closing the distance between them and causing two of the missiles to crash into each other with a violent explosion. The third she blocked by summoning a wall of brambles. Green light arced around her fists as she called on her magic to boost her strength. She had developed this spell for her golems, and she knew it shouldn't be used on a human body. Pain seared her muscles, but she ignored it. This was her chance to finally put Pyrolusite and his toys in their place. She blocked the punch the android swung at her, and threw it to the ground. A feral roar tore from her throat as she smashed her fists into her opponent's exposed back. With satisfaction, she felt its metal ribs snapping.

"Unfortunately for you," she sneered, "you're only half right."

A twisted spike of briars as thick as telephone pole surged up from below, skewering the 920M. Smaller vines peeled off the main one and crept into the hole in the android's chest, ripping it apart from the inside. Bits of metal and circuitry rained down all around as Ripidolite watched with a smug expression. She left the mangled torso hanging there, high above the rooftop, a monument to her superiority.

She summoned a clump of branches to form a staircase, and descended to street level. The citizens who hadn't escaped lay in the streets, victims of the poison gas attack. Raising her arms, she summoned another wave of plants and continued her march toward the palace.

* * *

"Fire at will! Fire at will!" Sailor Mars shouted over the roar of the ion cannons and the low rumble of distant destruction.

Seated behind a console in the Ginzuishou chamber, at the heart of the palace's defense network, Saturn focused her weapon systems on an especially thick clump of vines. Her hands moved smoothly over the twin glass hemispheres that served as the targeting interface. Electromagnetic impulses from her brain were relayed through her fingertips into the computer; with a thought she gave the command to fire. From atop one of the crystal towers, a focused beam of energy streaked down to vaporize the invading plants. But within seconds, the hole she had made was covered over with fresh growth.

Beside her, Mercury's fingers flew over her keyboard as data flooded her screen, and every few seconds she would attempt to translate it into something the rest of them could understand. In between, her eyes kept darting to a line of monitors on the far wall that displayed streaming video from the surveillance network—in particular, the one of Sailor Jupiter leading the defense forces at the north gate. Said forces consisted mostly of local police and a handful of recruits from the SDF, none of whom had ever fought a battle like this before. Jupiter was devoting as much effort to keeping them from getting themselves killed as she was to driving back the enchanted briars.

Above on the giant main monitor was an overhead view of the district, where the vines (represented by menacing red lines) were closing in on the palace in a two-pronged attack. One thing was perfectly clear: they were spreading faster than the city's defenders could cut them down.

The senshi were losing.

Neo Queen Serenity paced the marble floor, monitoring their situation with rising anxiety. She clutched the Ginzuishou to her chest, occasionally fingering it as if she intended to single-handedly drive back the enemy. She might have been able to do it, back in her days as Eternal Sailor Moon, but as she aged her power had changed. She could perform miraculous deeds of healing and restoration, but defense was not her forte.

She paused behind Saturn's chair. "Did you leave Usagi-chan in her quarters?" she asked. There was a slight edge in her voice that made Saturn suspect something was wrong.

"I instructed her to fall back to the inner sanctum and prepare to defend the palace. This is too dangerous for her."

"Then why do I see her at the southern gate?"

Saturn jerked around to look at the video feed, and swore under her breath. Sure enough, an unmistakable pair of pink pigtails was streaking down the road into the city. A quick check on her comlink GPS confirmed it. (At least the princess hadn't tried to turn it off this time.)

"We can't leave her alone out there," Mercury said through gritted teeth. "Jupiter, can you spare anyone down there?"

"Negative," Jupiter responded grimly. "Even if I could, she'd more than likely end up having to save them. Where the hell are Ceres and Pallas?"

Saturn frowned. "I've lost their signals, or they haven't transformed yet. I hope they're not…" She broke off, her gaze drifting to the wall of green that was slowly closing in on the palace, and then back to the receding image of Sailor Moon, headed right into the carnage.

"Go," said Mars. "We've got this covered."

Saturn knew that was a lie. But she rose and hurried from the room anyway. It was a great honor to be asked to fill the empty chair Venus had left, but she was the princess's guardian first. She was Usagi's friend first.

A few seconds passed. Suddenly, the queen froze mid-stride, a furrow sprouting on her creamy brow. "Where is my husband?"

* * *

Perched on a windowsill high on one of the crystal towers, a small gray cat watched the chaos unfolding below, and tortured herself by reliving the very bad decision she'd made ten minutes ago.

_"I have to go out there, Diana!"_

_"Princess, I must object. Saturn gave you strict orders not to—"_

_"Saturn's not my nursemaid!"_

_"She is a soldier with ten times as much experience as you have, and I have a feeling your mother would concur with her decision."_

_"Sailor Moon. That name once belonged to the strongest soldier in the galaxy. They'll let me bear the title, but the moment there's any sign of real trouble, they coop me up inside. It's disgraceful. They don't believe in me… but you believe in me, don't you, Diana?"_

_"Well, I…"_

_"They need me. I need to be there. If I'm going to be a sailor soldier, I have to be one when it counts, not just when my mother thinks it's safe. This is a war! Don't make me stand by and watch, powerless, while my friends risk their lives."_

And Diana had let her go. Now she sat with her nose pressed to the glass, tail swinging back and forth like a pendulum ticking away the anxious seconds. Skin crawling, she watched a thick tendril of green snaking toward the southern gate, and her mistress charging out alone to meet it. The princess had no idea, she thought, what it meant to feel powerless.

* * *

Junko drifted on the glimmering edge of consciousness, dimly aware of her body but not yet free of her dreams. Snatches memory drifted past her, all out of order and blurring into one another. Pancakes sizzling on a griddle. Cool winds blowing in from the ocean. A couple's voices raised in anger. The smell of engine grease and her father's aftershave. Then, close behind her, a great fluttering of wings. When she turned to see what it was, she met a blaring wall of light. She could just make out the silhouette of a man, his hand extended toward her.

Her first thought was to wonder if she was dead. But little by little the light receded, sharpening into a tall rectangle. Other shapes came into focus: curtains, and pale blue walls, and a bedside table. She realized belatedly that her eyes were open. Her more recent memories finally caught up to her and told her that she must be in a hospital somewhere, though how she had gotten there she couldn't say. The last thing she could recall was losing to the fake Ceres. It had been a fake, hadn't it? She wasn't quite sure anymore. Maybe she was back at Hiroo, and the whole incident had been her imagination…

The man on the windowsill, however, was not.

Blinking hard, she sat up, and was surprised at how good she felt. There was no pain, only a little stiffness. She flexed her arms and let out a satisfied (and not so ladylike) grunt.

"Welcome back," said the stranger. "You were pretty deep inside that dream. It took me a while to find you."

"Who are you?" Junko asked, eyeing his white tuxedo and gold-lined cape. She was no fashionista, but even she knew that normal people did not go out in the daytime dressed like that. Not to mention that normal people generally used the door.

"You can call me Pegasus Kamen. There's no time to explain, but the princess is in trouble. She needs Sailor Juno. Will you trust me?" He reached out to her again.

Junko hesitated for only a split second. Even if he wasn't trying to trick her, she wasn't sure if she was in any shape to fight. But the mere possibility that the princess needed her overruled all else. _Mind over matter,_ she told herself.

With a slow but deliberate nod, she clasped Pegasus Kamen's hand. An invigorating warmth flooded her body, and she felt the last traces of tiredness vanish, like fog burning away in sunlight. She slid out of bed and stood up, her henshin orb materializing in her hands the moment her feet hit the floor.

"Ready?"

She nodded. "Right behind you."

* * *

Ripidolite had nearly reached the outer wall when at last she was interrupted.

"Moon Luminous Exaltation!"

Swirling rays of light sheared off the tips of her vines as a soldier in a pink fuku charged toward her. Ripidolite bared her teeth in a vicious grin. This one was the real thing.

She made a sweeping gesture with both arms, and the remaining briars elongated in a wide arc, closing in behind Sailor Moon. The princess realized what was happening too late and turned to see the cruel green mass surging toward her. She tried to jump over them, but one grabbed her by the ankle and slammed her into the asphalt. As she lay stunned, a fat vine wrapped around her, pinning her down. The other vines dried and hardened into a dozen sharp wooden spears. They rushed forward to impale her.

At the last second, a blurred shadow flashed across the street, and the spears fell in splinters. Grinding her teeth, Ripidolite turned to face the newcomer.

Sailor Saturn brandished her weapon with somber pride. Her steely eyes assessed the plant-wielding sorceress. The woman was dressed in a skin-tight, forest green jumpsuit that covered every inch of her body from its v-neck collar down to her toes. A faint leaf pattern wrapped around her shoulders and the left side of her chest; Saturn speculated that it was some kind of light armor. Her dark green hair, just a shade lighter than Pluto's, was half tied up in a warrior's knot, with the remainder hanging down in a ponytail that brushed her shoulder blades. She wore black leather boots that reached her thighs, and her hands were covered by wrist-length gloves of the same material. The fingers beneath those gloves twitched in anticipation. The woman was waiting, Saturn realized. Her fighting style probably relied on counterattacks.

"I am the messenger from beyond the depths of death," she declared. The speech was somewhat a part of senshi protocol, but here it served the double purpose of testing her opponent's patience. Maybe she could lure her into making the first move. "Protected by the planet of silence, the Soldier of Ruin and Birth, Sailor Saturn! In the name of the queen of Crystal Tokyo, surrender or be destroyed."

"Ripidolite," the woman introduced herself in turn. A cold smile touched her lips. "Messenger to none, protected by none, loyal to none but myself. And you can go to Hell, Sailor Saturn."

Still neither one moved. Tension mounted; the air felt heavier with each passing second. Ripidolite's fingers jerked in painful spasms, but she waited.

Saturn could have kept up the staring contest all night, but for a pained whimper from Sailor Moon, who was still bound by the vines. They had lifted her into the air and were beginning to tighten, slowly crushing her. There was no time to stall. Hoping to catch Ripidolite off guard, Saturn aimed a sliding kick at her ankles.

Ripidolite had quick reflexes. She sprang into the air, turning a forward flip over Saturn's head. She spun and landed, hoping to catch Saturn off balance, but the soldier was already back on her feet and running at her. The Silence Glaive whirled through the air like a deadly helicopter blade.

They met in the center of the broad courtyard in front of the palace gates. There they circled one another in a deadly dance, dodging and weaving over smooth white flagstones inlaid with swirling patterns of pure gold. All along the gleaming crystal colonnade that lined the open space, their distorted reflections mocked them. They seemed evenly matched, but little by little, Saturn found herself being pushed back toward the palace.

Ripidolite ducked under a slightly overextended slash and came up to grab Saturn's wrists. Undaunted, the soldier lifted both feet and kicked her in the chest. Ripidolite grunted and staggered back, letting go of Saturn. She barely dodged a jab from the blunt end of the glaive, and countered by shooting a spray of acid from her hands. Saturn jumped to avoid the attack, turned a backflip, kicked off one of the towering crystal colums, and came down slashing at her enemy. Ripidolite dove out of the way in time to avoid losing her head, but Saturn sliced off one heel of her boot. She stumbled as she tried to get up, and Saturn took the chance to summon her magic. As she held out her glaive, blade glinting in the dying sunlight, an ominous rush of wind surged toward her.

"Silence Glaive Objurgation."

An invisible explosion sent Ripidolite tumbling through the air like a leaf in a hurricane. A deafening roar echoed up and down the city streets, shattering windows. The sorceress smacked face-first into the outer wall surrounding the palace grounds and hung there, upside down, plastered to the stone by the force of the attack. She tried to scream, but the intense pressure forced the air out of her lungs in a painful cough. The onslaught continued for what seemed like hours, smashing her face into the wall until her head swam, bruising every limb. She couldn't struggle, couldn't see, couldn't breathe.

At last, the crushing force abated, and gravity took over. Ripidolite's limp form peeled from the wall and dropped to the street.

Saturn took a few cautious steps forward. She was not foolish enough to assume that her opponent was defeated, though the power she'd just unleashed was enough to kill any ordinary person.

In spite of everything, a sort of admiration stirred in her when Ripidolite struggled to her knees, gasping. The woman had will and tenacity to match the sailor senshi. If only she had not been indoctrinated to hate everything they stood for. If only she had been born in a different place, chosen a different path somewhere down the line.

She might have been a good person, if only she were someone else.

A trickle of blood ran from Ripidolite's nose; she was fairly sure it was broken. A savage growl rose in her throat. Energy crackled around her arms again, and she slammed a fist into the ground. A ring of glowing magical runes lit up around her. She pointed at Saturn with a wordless cry of hatred. A human cry.

And Saturn hesitated.

Before she knew what was happening, her feet were fouled with leaves. Strands of ivy wrapped around her legs, biting into her flesh. She tried to tear them off, but these were nothing like the vines she'd sliced through before. The thinnest one was like a steel cable. The green-haired woman lifted a hand and they rose into the air, as high as the rooftops, dangling Saturn upside-down. Her glaive slipped from her fingers and clattered to the pavement far below. More runners wound themselves around her, slowly squeezing the breath out of her. She heard Sailor Moon scream, and flailed helplessly. Even if she could somehow escape, the fall would most likely knock her unconscious, and then the sorceress would have no trouble finishing her off.

Just when all seemed lost, she heard a muffled grunt from below. Someone had tackled Ripidolite. Saturn caught a flash of lavender fabric, and her eyes went wide.

"King?" she choked out. Of all the people in the world who should not be here, he was at the top of the list.

In the realm of theory, Endymion's skills were still as sharp as they had been back in the old Silver Millennium, when he had trained daily with the Four Heavenly Kings in the dirt arena of his castle. But though his heart remembered, his body had forsaken him. He was not Tuxedo Kamen anymore.

Ripidolite kicked him off of her, and he backed up, wheezing. Her vines squeezed Sailor Moon tighter in retribution. Her cry of pain spurred the king forward. His royal scepter shimmered, morphing into a heavy black cane topped with a silver skull. "You will not hurt my daughter," he said darkly. A low hiss punctuated his threat, the cane slicing through the air in a bone-crushing blow.

Ripidolite sidestepped him easily. She laughed and kicked him in the back, knocking him down. He lay motionless, too weak to get up. "So this is what remains of the fabled monarch of the Earth. You're no match for me without your crystal." She bent down to whisper in his ear. "Pathetic."

He turned his head, and she was surprised to see a sly grin on his face. "First rule of battle," he whispered back. "Always pay attention to your surroundings."

Her eyebrows stitched together in confusion. A crackling sound behind her made her turn, and she saw a soldier in red standing a few paces away, pointing a burning arrow at her face.

"Mars Flame Sniper!"

Ripidolite screamed and dove aside as the arrow streaked past her head. An unfortunate tree in a street-side garden took the hit instead, and the arrow exploded with a burst of flame that rivaled the setting sun.

"Mars!" Saturn cried in alarm. If she was here, that left Mercury alone in the control room and Jupiter as good as alone on the streets. Two senshi to protect the queen and fend off a city-wide assault. They could not spare Mars, and the grimace on her face said that she knew it. But they had no choice, because the princess and now the king were in danger. Because Saturn had failed in her most important duty.

A plume of fire three stories high engulfed the tree, reducing it to a charred stump in a matter of seconds. It left everything around it (including Ripidolite) covered in a fine layer of soot. The green-haired woman sprang to her feet, propelled by adrenaline, pain, and the humiliation of being caught off guard. She crooked a finger, and twin vines burst from the ground. One grabbed Endymion by the waist; the other wrapped around his neck and pulled him taut. Ripidolite dangled him in front of Mars.

"One move and I tear him in half."

Mars froze. The bow in her hands dissipated in a puff of smoke.

"Idiot," she murmured. There was no malice in her voice, only trepidation. Leave it to Endymion to charge into battle in defiance of all reason—without his crystal, no less—when one of the women he loved was in danger. He should have known this would happen, but for a man of his intellect, he could be remarkably rash. Protect first, think later.

It was what she admired most about him.

"I knew you could be reasonable," said Ripidolite, her voice dripping with condescension. Cruel laughter rose in her throat. "It's a shame I'm not."

She beckoned, and the vines pulled harder. Endymion choked and kicked at the air, all the while shouting for Mars to save Sailor Moon. His face turned purple. Mars lunged at Ripidolite with a fireball igniting in her hands, but it was too late…

Then two things happened at once. A bright, clear sound rang through the air, like the chiming of a bell, and a streak of golden light slashed through the briars holding the king. At the same time, a sparkling bolt of electricity knocked Ripidolite off her feet. Endymion landed with surprising grace for a man who had nearly been ripped apart. Mars, seeing that Ripidolite was taken care of for the moment, turned her power on the plants that held Saturn and Moon. Her magical flames ate away at the vines, lowering the girls to the ground. Endymion caught his daughter, and Saturn landed on… something soft.

Endymion set Sailor Moon gently on her feet. "Are you all right?"

"Papa…" she whimpered. It was an effort to make herself let go of the edge of his cloak. She drew a shaking breath. "I'm fine."

"Ugh," a familiar voice groaned from under Saturn.

She jumped up as if she'd been bitten, and scrambled off of the man in the white cloak who had inadvertently become her cushion. Pegasus Kamen stood, brushing dirt off his knees with one hand. The other held a broadsword with a blade of shimmering golden stone. Saturn's eyes were fixed on the weapon—and so were Ripidolite's.

"Impossible…" the former Moira breathed, her face a mask of disbelief. A tiny seed of speculation had taken root in her mind, and suddenly all the facts lined up around it. Now she saw the wisps of white hair poking from beneath his silk hat. His height was right, too, and his voice… she couldn't believe she hadn't noticed it before. "_You!_"

Pegasus Kamen did not smile, but there was something vaguely self-satisfied in his demeanor as he held up the sword. "I don't suppose Moros has been looking for this?"

Ripidolite's eyes smoldered with rage.

"So you cowards finally decided to show your faces," another voice cut into the volatile silence. Saturn turned to find its source, and this time she smiled. It was Sailor Juno, looking almost as good as new. Almost.

Ripidolite stopped glaring daggers at Pegasus long enough to shoot her a scowl. "You sailor soldiers are the cowards. You're the ones who hide among your own people."

"You know where to find us. Tell your friends to come out and fight!"

"They're not my friends," Ripidolite snorted. "And if I knew where to find you, I'd kill you in your sleep. You're lucky that all I've had to go on is a few meager scraps of intelligence from a good-for-nothing informant." Here she cast a meaningful glance at Pegasus Kamen.

"She's lying!" he sputtered. He dared to glance at Saturn, and met an icy stare devoid of sympathy. Wincing, he appealed to the princess. "If that were true, why would she betray me?"

Ripidolite cupped her hands, and a small, round lump of darkness formed over her palms. It swelled and burst open, releasing hundreds of tiny black sprouts that shimmered like polished onyx. They knit themselves together, hardening and sprouting thorns as they grew, until they had formed a curved blade nearly as long as Ripidolite was tall. The outer edge of the weapon was razor-sharp; the back side was a saw-like mess of thorns. In one motion, her hands closed around the green leather-wrapped hilt and she slashed at Pegasus. Glossy black met radiant gold as their weapons collided. Energy crackled around her arms again, and her muscles bulged, sending waves of agony through her whole body. She had misused the magic, and now she was losing control of it.

She threw her weight forward, pushing him back onto his heels, and hissed through clenched teeth, "You betrayed me first."

"I was never on your side," he retorted.

Sailor Mars, holding another arrow nocked, watched the exchange with a dangerously placid look on her face. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but it seemed like a personal dispute. She concentrated on placing herself between the combatants and the king. Sailor Moon's eyes flickered between her and Pegasus Kamen, growing more apprehensive the longer the priestess watched the white-cloaked man. She tried to step forward to help him, but Saturn and Mars's arms whipped out in unison, barring her path. Juno sensed that there was some sort of intrigue unfolding in front of her, but she understood none of it, so she shifted from foot to foot and waited for Ripidolite to remember they were there.

Pegasus backed off and parried another swipe from Ripidolite's sword. The golden blade wobbled in his hands—he was clearly not very experienced with it. He made a clumsy stab at Ripidolite, but she avoided it, laughing at his ineptitude, and caught his sword in the teeth of hers. She attempted to snap it with a rough twist. Finding this impossible, she settled for kicking him in the face. He tumbled backwards, head over heels, and came to a rest in a bruised heap. Squirming, he tried to untangle himself from his own cape.

With him out of the way, Ripidolite turned back to the senshi. Saturn was closest. She charged at her with a downward slash. Saturn blocked with the handle of her glaive, but found the sorceress much stronger than she had been a few minutes ago. Ripidolite shoved her aside, knocking down Moon and Juno in the process. Spinning around, she jabbed at Endymion, catching him across the shoulder with the saw blade. He grunted in pain and dropped his cane.

"Endymion!" Mars screamed. She threw herself between him and the crazed sorceress, knowing she would never have time to raise her bow and fire.

Pegasus Kamen saved them, sweeping in to grab Ripidolite from behind. Her magic flared up again, and this time as her muscles bulged her skin took on a putrid green hue. She was starting to resemble one of her golems. Sailor Moon, Juno and Saturn joined in to hold her back; it took all of their strength to restrain her.

"Don't worry about me," the king said to Mars. "You can have all the I-told-you-sos you want when this is over."

She nodded with a gentle smile. It made a sharp contrast with the deadly glare she cast at Ripidolite moments later. For a brief instant, the atmosphere flashed crimson. The other senshi felt a rush of heat pass over their skin. A ripple of ruby light surged through the crystal buildings and converged on Sailor Mars as she held out her hands in the nine mudra of the kuji-in.

"Rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen."

Up and down the city block, on every tendril and thorn, thousands of tiny fires sprang up. As Mars chanted, paper ofuda formed unfolded from the flames, as if they were burning in reverse. Soon the tangled green mess was plastered over with scrolls. One final piece of paper flew out from Mars's hands and attached itself to Ripidolite's forehead.

Unimpressed by the display, Ripidolite tried to laugh at her—only to discover that her throat didn't work. She realized with horror that every muscle in her body was paralyzed. But Mars wasn't finished.

"Evil Spirit, Begone!"

As the last syllable left her lips, the scrolls ignited. A magnificent inferno scorched every surface Mars had marked for destruction. When the fireball receded into a mushroom-shaped plume of smoke, the only trace that remained of the plants were the holes they had left in the walls. This time, they didn't grow back. Ripidolite was sprawled out on the stone road, motionless except for the shallow, uneven rise of her chest as she fought to breathe.

The Pink Moon Stick materialized in Sailor Moon's hand. With grave and sorrowful dignity, she pointed it at the fallen sorceress, and spoke the phrase that sealed her fate.

"In the name of the moon, I will punish you."

In the twentieth century, it had been the battle cry of a teenage vigilante. In Crystal Tokyo, it was a formal death sentence.

A wordless communication passed between Sailor Moon and Saturn, and they reached for one another's hands. A soft white glow spread from their interlaced fingers to envelop their bodies. The light gradually intensified, lifting them off the ground in a glowing orb. A warm, gentle breeze emanated from the ball of light.

"Crystal Oblivion Phase!" they shouted.

Thin slivers of shadow crept across the surface of the orb, forming rings that rippled along its surface. With a crack, the wind inverted, twisting back toward them in a violent rush that churned light and darkness into a flickering mass. Moon touched her wand to Saturn's glaive. Their combined power converged at the point where they crossed, then surged forward in a pulsing beam of pure energy that skewered Ripidolite.

Saturn's face was smooth and cold as a marble statue, but her hand gripped Moon's so tightly it trembled. Moon squeezed her eyes shut, wishing the deafening explosion would drown out the condemned woman's screams.

Her mind swimming with pain, Ripidolite reached out for a portal—any portal, no matter how dangerous. It could launch her into a black hole, for all she cared, as long as it took her away from here. After what seemed like hours (though in truth it had been a few seconds) she found one. As the glowing circle opened around her, she managed to form a cloudy, half-formed image of her destination, and realized after the fact that she had chosen the Moirae fortress. _So be it._ She slipped gratefully into the dark embrace of sub-space.

A few more seconds passed before the light dissipated. Sailor Moon, exhausted in more ways than one, stumbled and nearly collapsed before Saturn caught her.

"Are you all right?" Pegasus Kamen asked with what seemed to be genuine concern. Saturn clutched her friend tighter and subtly shifted to block his path.

The princess's eyes fluttered open, and a rosy flush colored her cheeks. "I'm fine, thank you," she breathed.

"That's good." He stepped back, not quite looking at Saturn. "Keep on shining," he said, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. Aloud, he called, "Adieu!" and turned to depart.

King Endymion's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Pegasus Kamen!"

He turned, snapping to attention. "Your Majesty?"

Endymion inclined his head in a stately gesture of gratitude. "Thank you for protecting my daughter."

Pegasus Kamen gawked for a split second, then dropped to one knee, his right arm crossed over his chest. "To serve her is my honor," he replied.

When the king nodded to him, he rose once more, slipped into an alley and disappeared.

Moon looked at Saturn. "You can't still think he's a bad person after all that," she said, with a frustrated gesture in the direction Pegasus had gone.

Saturn folded her arms. "I've never called him a bad person. But that Moira woman just said he was her informant."

"She's an enemy! Who cares what she says?" Juno snorted. "That's just the sort of lie they'd make up to plant doubt in our minds."

"If he meant to hurt us, don't you think he would have done it by now?" Moon reasoned.

Saturn's eyes, cold and hard, drifted to the horizon. "That's what I used to tell myself about my father and Kaolinite. But that didn't stop the awful prickling feeling I got whenever they looked at me. Now I'm getting the same feeling around him."

"Well, I'm sorry that you have daddy issues," Moon burst out, "but you don't have to take it out on a guy who's trying to help us!"

In the silence that followed, the other senshi gaped at their princess, unable to believe their ears. Saturn was a brittle shell, her soul crumbling behind her hollow purple eyes. Over the years, she had come to terms with her horrible first childhood. But the fact that Sailor Moon would use that as leverage… At times they had their disagreements, but she was never so callous. Not to her best friend.

"'Daddy issues'?" she repeated, her voice a cracked whisper. "My father is dead, Sailor Moon. Do you have any idea what that's like?"

"Enough," Mars said firmly. A sideways glance at Moon suggested she would have liked to say more, but protocol demanded that a guardian respect her princess. It was her job as a superior officer to remind Saturn of that. It was Endymion's as a father to say something to Sailor Moon. He didn't, and that bothered Mars. She would have to have a word with Serenity later.

Saturn bit her tongue. Though Usagi treated her as an equal because of their friendship, the reality was that they were of different stations in life. The unity of Crystal Tokyo—of this fractured jewel they called planet Earth—was not secured by military might or clever diplomacy. Those things alone were not enough to keep so many cultures, beliefs, and desires in equilibrium. It was their reverence for the royal family that bound them together. That was why Venus kept her thoughts to herself when she believed the queen was wrong. That was why Mars put the safety of the king and princess ahead of the rest of the city without a second thought. That was why Saturn now bowed and stepped back—out of respect for those who were the keystone of the new Silver Millennium.

And because no matter what, she still loved Usagi.

Mars cleared her throat loudly. "This attack proves that our enemy will stop at nothing. They are not reasonable people," she declared. She looked at each of the three younger senshi in turn. "We need to find their base as soon as possible, and eliminate this threat."

"Actually…" Sailor Moon began in a tiny voice. The others turned to stare at her, and she gulped. "I may sort of already know where it is."

In the stunned silence that followed, she felt two inches tall. She forced herself to keep her head up. It was not ladylike to stare at one's feet.

"Where, and how?" Mars asked in ominously smooth tones.

The game was up. They dragged the story out of her bit by bit: Pegasus Kamen landing on her balcony in the form of a winged horse, her midnight ride over the city, and the strange shadow of a tower she had seen against the night sky, rising out of an abandoned industrial zone.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Juno asked. The honest confusion in her voice made Sailor Moon feel even worse than any accusation could have.

"I knew you'd point to that as proof that Pegasus Kamen is involved with the Moirae." She shot an injured glance at Saturn, as if this were somehow her fault.

For a long time, no one said anything. Juno's expression shifted from puzzled to cross, Mars wore a stern frown, and Saturn looked outright disgusted. But worst of all was her father. On his face she saw only hurt and disappointment. Her parents and the older senshi had finally begun to trust her, and she had let them down in every way imaginable.

She knew she was wrong. But she refused to apologize, for fear they might forgive her.

A clamor of footsteps interrupted the awkward moment, and a familiar brunette head emerged from around the corner of the palace wall.

"King! Princess! Thank goodness you're all right," Jupiter exclaimed. She ran up to them, clasping their hands as if to assure herself that they were alive. Following close behind her were Pallas and Ceres. Both girls' eyes were roughly the size of saucers.

"That. Was. So awesome," Pallas gushed, with an adoring gaze at Jupiter. "She's so _strong._ And _fast._ Did you see when she did that- that thing with the lightning?" She jabbed her fingers at the air and made a buzzing sound for effect.

Ceres nodded vigorously. "I've never seen anything quite like it!"

Saturn breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the pair. "I'm glad you guys are all right."

"All right? Are you kidding?" babbled Pallas. "We were trapped against the northern wall when those weird plant things started eating the city. And we thought we were goners, you know? But all of a sudden, Jupiter-sama came flying out of nowhere and toasted 'em!" She made more sound effects while miming the action.

"We couldn't get to you, so we stayed there to help her defend the city," Ceres explained. "The way she fights… it's spectacular."

Jupiter shook her head. "Thirty-six dead, and counting. Hundreds more injured. Damage in the billions, not that you can put a price on peace of mind. I appreciate your enthusiasm, but 'spectacular' is not the word I'd choose."

The pair sobered. In the midst of their hero worship, they had forgotten that people had lost their lives in the attack.

"Save what you can," said Mars. "Protect what you can. Destroy only what you must. When you see wrong, right it, and regret only that you could not do more." She bent down to take Ceres by the shoulders and stand her up straight. "All of us wish we could have prevented those deaths. You will never live a life completely without regrets, but you must not mourn the past at the expense of the future."

Both girls nodded slowly.

Mars gave them one of her rare smiles. "Now, I imagine you want to say hello to your sister."

Juno stepped out from behind Mars and Saturn with a casual wave. "Hey there. It's been a while."

"Juno! You're okay!" Pallas squeaked.

"Never better," Juno laughed, and the three girls collided in a group hug. Saturn joined in the happy reunion, while the older senshi looked on with soft smiles. At least one good thing had happened today.

Only Sailor Moon hung back, watching her friends with a half-hearted smile. She knew she should be glad to see Juno, but a heavy lump of guilt had congealed in her chest, crushing every other emotion. Her eyes followed Saturn. The dark-haired senshi was, in that moment, joyous and carefree, embracing the others and laughing at a joke Pallas had made. Sailor Moon felt a stinging pressure building up behind her eyes. She needed to get away from here. She needed to scream. She wasn't sure what she needed. All she knew was that this was unfair. Crossing her arms, she turned away from her friends.

After a few minutes of celebration, Mars cleared her throat. There was still plenty of work to do. "Sailor Saturn. Take your team back to the Palace, and brief Juno," she instructed. "At 9:00 tomorrow the five of you will meet me in Conference Room Alpha of the Ruby Wing to discuss our strategy in light of this… new information."

"Six, ma'am!" Juno interjected. Mars gave her a quizzical look, and the green-haired senshi grinned. "I know where Vesta is."

* * *

The unstable portal opened in a room of the fortress Ripidolite didn't recognize, and ejected its passenger onto the cold stone floor. The chamber was small and perfectly round, with walls made of the same dark stone as the floor. It was poorly lit by a single lantern that dangled on iron chains from the high, domed ceiling. Silk banners in a multitude of colors were draped from the top of the dome and fastened to hang down the walls: pink with golden brocade, deep violet with a rust-red stripe, pale blue, fiery orange, pearl gray, forest green… there were too many to count. Oddly enough, the room appeared to have no windows or doors.

As she lay there, stupefied with pain, her hands a bubbling, jellied mass of mutated flesh clutching at a hole in her abdomen, Ripidolite was still shocked at the discovery of her own mortality. It was one thing to know, logically, that death existed, but quite another to think it would come for her. She had always felt she had a destiny, a grand future ahead of her. Even after Aether's revelation had shattered everything else she had ever put faith in, she had still believed she would always have time. Now her life was flowing out in a steady stream between her fingers, counting down with every heartbeat. It gradually dawned on her that the world would go on after she was dead. Fate was a towering, ancient oak, and she a single leaf, neither noticed while living nor missed when gone. The seasons turned and cut off her existence. Had it amounted to anything, in the end?

Desperately, she reached out across the Cyber-Psionic Network. She had one thing to leave behind, and in that moment she knew there was only one person to whom she could entrust it. The last person in the world she ever thought she would choose. _Calomel!_

_Ripidolite?_ Calomel's mental voice squeaked. The vague impressions of pain and primal terror that accompanied her sister's thought told her that something was very wrong.

_Listen!_ The demand flashed across the network, sharp and urgent. _Something you need to know. Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon is—augh!_

…_Ripidolite?_

A tall, pale-skinned woman in a long black coat stood over Ripidolite. She gripped a jeweled dagger, which she had just thrust into the base of the other woman's skull. The sorceress's body twitched once, twice, and then fell still.

"Sorry about that, honey," she murmured to the corpse. "You got too close."

Behind her, the green silk banner gradually darkened, turning black. She used it to wipe the blade of the dagger. Satisfied, she tucked her weapon into her boot. She snapped her fingers, and the shadows engulfed her.

* * *

Moros's library could more accurately be described as a maze built of books. There was no organization to speak of, and most of the volumes on the shelves were unmarked. The aisles twisted and interlocked in complex knots, making it far easier to lose oneself than to find information. Few of the queen's followers ever ventured in, which made it one of Petalite's favorite spots to seclude herself when she felt like brooding.

But today she was on a mission. Her dark eyes scanned the frustrating walls, searching for some apologetic to put her mind at ease. Unlike most modern libraries, which were basically giant server rooms housing their collections in ready-to-download digital form, Moros kept all her records in good old-fashioned paper and ink. Petalite had always liked that. Data could be corrupted in an instant. A single power failure, a single virus, a single keystroke, and years of history could be erased… or rewritten. The printed word was not so mutable. She could touch it, feel its weight, and know that she held a piece of someone's past. A book was, if not the truth, at least a lie in its original form.

She sniffed in frustration as yet another lead proved futile. In the middle of the book was a fringe of blackened paper, the remnant of pages burned away.

Before, she would have dismissed it as an accident. Libraries caught fire now and then. But now she noticed how cleanly the edges of each page had been sheared off, as if they had been cut rather than burned, how neatly certain sections were trimmed out—and always on the same subject. Sailor Moon. The name gnawed at her, a sickening, fuzzy ache behind her eyes. All because Ripidolite had planted that tiny question in her mind.

It was not that she doubted Moros. She was only seeking to justify her faith.

Petalite set the book atop her growing stack of disappointments. When she turned back to the shelves, she found herself face to face with Aether. She jumped back with a cry of surprise, and the teetering pile of books came crashing down around her. As usual, Aether didn't even flinch.

"You won't find what you're looking for here," he said. "I've already checked."

Muttering epithets, Petalite picked her way out of the mess of paper. "What do you want from me, Aether?"

"Ripidolite has betrayed us," he informed her.

Petalite looked away. "I knew something was wrong," she muttered. "I sensed a great disturbance in her psychic energy."

"She has launched a full-scale assault on Crystal Tokyo. Pyrolusite sent an android to apprehend her at my request."

Petalite's eyes narrowed. Since when did her son take orders from Aether? That he had made the same decision she would have made was immaterial. Surely Moros had not given him that much authority.

"What will you do?" Aether asked.

"When Pyrolusite brings her in, I will hand her over to our queen for questioning," she replied, as if it were the simplest decision in the world. To question that was tantamount to questioning her allegiance. Aether had some nerve, she thought. She was not the one with a habit of violating the chain of command.

"Why do you follow Queen Moros?" Aether asked, with a gentleness that caught her off guard. He stooped and started collecting the fallen books. She stared, dumbfounded, for a few seconds before bending down to help.

"Pardon my curiosity," he said. "I just realized that I don't know anything about you. I only entered the queen's service after she arrived here in Crystal Tokyo. But you've been with her for much longer than that, haven't you?"

Petalite paused, lost in memory. The book she was holding slipped from her fingers.

"I was a master weaver," she recalled with a touch of pride. "I lived with my three children, dedicating my life to preserving the traditional craft." Her voice turned cold. "One day, we were attacked without warning by a sorcerer in white robes. He destroyed the entire city. I lost everything. But our great Queen Moros rose up out of the ashes, bringing us the message of hope. She is going to change our fate, restore us to our former glory and found a new city. All she asks of us is to help her get the two magical crystals held by those of the Silver Millennium."

Aether listened intently to her story, a thoughtful crease forming in his brow. "I wonder," he said, "how many fates will be destroyed to save ours."

A hint of a smirk tugged at Petalite's lips. "Are you suddenly developing scruples, Aether? People strive for their own happiness. That's the way of the world."

"Do you think fate could be changed so that everyone was happy? Does such a future exist?" he pondered.

Suddenly, Petalite sank to her knees, clutching at her temples. An agonized convulsion shook her body and spilled from her lips in a shuddering moan. Aether knelt beside her, eyes wide with concern.

"What's wrong?"

"R-Ripidolite…"

* * *

Hotaru stepped into the crowded lobby of Crystal Hiroo Hospital. She wove between anxious families and made her way toward the reception area, the three Sailor Quartet members in tow. As much as Usagi wanted to meet their new teammate, she had elected to wait back at the palace. With fires still burning in the streets and the death toll still rising, it was far too early for her to make a public appearance. At any rate, for her to show special interest in one girl would draw unwanted attention, possibly compromising Vesta's identity. The government had yet to acknowledge the Sailor Quartet's existence—it was too closely tied to the Moirae threat they were trying to hide. But after today's attack, the girls had a feeling that was about to change, whether the queen liked it or not.

The thought weighed on their minds, and the girls were silent as they waited through the long line at the front desk. The area's public internet service, which most people relied on for communication, was down, probably damaged during the attack. The cell network was jammed, unprepared for the flood of calls following the disaster—it had been so long since they'd had one. That left the area's million-odd residents to find their friends and family members the old-fashioned way, and all of them were on edge.

At last they reached the front of the line, and asked about their friend. Relief washed over the receptionist's face when he found her on the first search—the poor man had been the subject of much undeserved ire these past few hours.

"Room 1807," he said, pointing them down a nearby hallway.

Seresu thanked him with her brightest smile, hoping to somehow make up for all the frustration he'd endured. She took the lead as they approached the room. They opened the door… and came face to face with a battle-ready Sailor Vesta, gripping her burning whip and eyeing them with apprehension. Hotaru had the presence of mind to shove them all through the door and shut it behind them, before anyone had a chance to catch a glimpse of the undocumented (and at the moment, none too friendly looking) sailor soldier.

"Ceres," Vesta said, her honey-sweet voice clashing with her frigid tone. "You know, a few minutes ago I saw someone who looked just like you. I almost got confused." She gestured toward a pile of ashes in the corner.

Junko swallowed hard. "A golem… Vesta, I am so sorry I left you alone this long."

"I hope you mean that."

Vesta snapped her wrist, and her whip evaporated into a swirling cloud of fire. With graceful, rhythmic movements she guided it into a ring before her. Twirling, she lifted it over her head, where it hovered for a few seconds, rotating slowly above her fingertips.

"Sacred Flame Rising!" she chanted, flinging the fire-ring to the floor. With a roar of light and heat, a cylindrical shield of flames shot up around her.

"Attack me," she invited, beckoning them with a crook of her fingers.

"Say what?" Atena choked, at the same time as Seresu gasped, "I beg your pardon?"

"Those golems only have illusionary power. They aren't strong enough to break my shield. No one but a sailor senshi could. So please, prove to me that you're the real thing."

"Golems don't mimic our normal forms. They always appear in sailor fuku," Atena pointed out.

"Oh? You seem to know an awful lot about them."

The veiled accusation went right over Atena's head, but Seresu rose to her defense anyway. "Who's to say you're not the imposter?"

"Maybe I am. Why don't you attack me and find out?"

Seresu hesitated. Atena and Junko waited for her cue. Hotaru had stepped back, a silent observer from the doorway, and for once, Seresu wished she would take charge.

She looked at Vesta, separated from her by a wall of flame and suspicion. Then at Junko, who she had attacked by mistake because she had judged too quickly. Then at Atena, who she so often wrote off as naïve because her honest heart barely understood deception. Then at Hotaru, who she had berated for offering a fallen enemy forgiveness, forgetting that the same forgiveness had once been extended to her. Always, always, she was so slow to trust, yet so quick to assume the worst.

Not this time.

"We will do no such thing," she declared. "It wouldn't be right to risk hurting a friend just to protect ourselves."

A radiant smile warmed Vesta's face. "So it is you."

The shield dissolved, as did her transformation, and she ran to them. They wrapped around her, a blanket of tears and laughter. The Sailor Quartet was complete at last.

"You were testing us, weren't you?" Saturn realized.

Their new companion nodded. "I'm sorry for tricking you. But if there's one way to tell a real sailor soldier from a fake, it's by the way she treats her teammates."

"By her shine," Saturn murmured. Her eyes drifted to the window across the room, half-expecting to glimpse a fluttering white cape.

"Let's go back to the palace," Seresu suggested. "Usagi and the others are waiting to meet you."

* * *

That evening, on a hilltop overlooking the city, the air began to twist and shimmer. Energy gathered in a swirling vortex as the clouds above churned. There was a sound like a thunderclap, and for a fraction of a second, a column of light connected earth and sky. When it faded, it left behind four shadowed figures standing in a tight cluster.

"We made it," said the tallest, sounding surprised.

"I doubt our arrival will go unnoticed," the shortest murmured.

"Now remember, we want to attract as little attention as possible," the third told her companions. "Maintain your cover, and don't do anything stupid."

Next to her, the fourth snorted. "I still think we should tell her the truth."

"No. The less she knows right now, the better. We lay low."

"I don't recall you being the leader," the tall one cut in icily.

"Perhaps you'll recall me being right."

"Okay, we agree to disagree," said number four. "Let's just find a place to stay for the night, and we'll play it by ear from there. Deal?"

Nodding in agreement, the four of them started down the grassy slope toward the glittering streets below.


	13. One Eye for Crying

**One Eye for Crying**

Conference Room Alpha-Ruby was furnished with sleek, minimalist lines of black lacquer and a suitable shade of red silk upholstery. Table and chairs stood out in bold contrast to the white walls, drawing the eye toward the hearth at the end of the room where a roaring fire glowed. Seated before it, white-gloved hands folded neatly on the tabletop, was Sailor Mars. On her right, Sailor Moon fidgeted in her seat, clearly wishing she were somewhere else. Across the table, Saturn's eyes were hard as stone, and she made a point of not looking at the princess. Mars pretended not to notice. As long as they could do their jobs, she would let them work out their personal grudges on their own. Thankfully, the other four faces at the table were solemn and focused.

Mars flicked her fingers across the edge of the table (the entire surface was a touch-screen interface), and a three-dimensional map of the city materialized in front of her. She turned to Sailor Moon. "Show me where you saw the base."

Sailor Moon frowned, squinted at the map for a few seconds, then stood up to get an aerial view. "Aha," she said, pointing. "That's where it was."

The other gave her a puzzled look.

"Didn't you say it was a tower?" Ceres recalled.

"'Cause that looks more like an abandoned construction site," Pallas chimed in.

"I could have sworn… no, that's where it was," Sailor Moon insisted. "I'm sure of it."

"Some sort of cloaking mechanism?" Saturn speculated.

"It's possible," Mars agreed. "We'll send the six of you there to investigate."

Juno brightened. "Hey! Sunday afternoon there's a big motocross event right in that neighborhood. If we could all go it would be the perfect cover."

"Mm-hm." Mars clearly had her doubts about Juno's motivations.  
"Seriously. I know a guy who knows a guy, and we could get really good seats. I mean, to position ourselves strategically to… uh, you know, investigate." The teenager gave her a toothy grin, trying her hardest to sell the idea. Mars let her sweat for a few seconds before making her decision.

"Very well. We'll secure enough tickets for this _mission_," she said, making sure to emphasize the last word. She caught Juno doing a fist-pump under the table, and raised an eyebrow. The young senshi gulped and sat on her hands.

"And in the meantime," said Mars, "we rebuild Crystal Tokyo."

* * *

The city was a mess.

Heaps of broken concrete and crystal lined the streets, spilling out between overturned cars and fallen trees. Water bubbled up from broken pipes—a bad sign, because it meant the utility control systems that should have shut them off had failed. Damaged power lines had forced city officials to cut the electricity to the entire ward, and an eerie stillness had settled over the streets. The shriveled remains of Ripidolite's plants lay draped over every building, except for a few blocks on the south side of the Crystal Palace, where Mars' fire had burned them away. In their place, a fine layer of ash had settled over every surface.

"We have our work cut out for us," Seresu sighed, gazing up at the mass of twisted cable and shattered solar panels that had once been a hovercar charging station. Beside her, Atena made a small sound of assent.

"It's a good thing we've got them to help," she said, dipping her head toward their new teammates who stood a short distance away. The pair were dressed for a hard day's work: stiff white overalls, heavy boots, and t-shirts in their respective senshi colors. Atena muttered something about Super Mario Brothers.

Sensing that they were being talked about, the duo came over to join them. Seresu gave them a strained smile, realizing that they still hadn't been properly introduced.

The unfairly gorgeous redhead saved her. "Garnier-san, isn't it? My name is Beth." After an expectant pause, she gave her companion a light nudge in the ribs.

Junko, who had been busily stirring a pile of gravel with her toe, gave a start and looked up at them. "Uh, yeah, hi. I'm Osaki. Osaki Junko."

They were both foreigners, Seresu noted. Junko's light accent marked her as American, while Beth's striking features were clearly not Japanese. Come to think of it, she looked very familiar…

"So, it's okay to call you Beth-san?" Atena asked, confused by her apparent lack of a family name.

"I don't know what else you'd call me," Beth chuckled. "In Indonesia—that's where I'm from—a lot of people have only one name."

"Really? Weird!" Atena blurted out, to Seresu's utter mortification.

Beth took Atena's bluntness in stride. "Never seemed weird to me. It was a real pain at the immigration office, though. They kept asking for my family name, and I didn't know what to tell them, so they just put me down as 'Beth Beth.'" Her smile faltered as she realized what that sounded like in Japanese. _VesVes._

"Well then, it's only fair that you call me Atena," the blue-haired girl declared, unwittingly saving her from the dark path her mind had been slipping down.

"That means we're friends, doesn't it?"  
"Yup!"

Seresu sucked in a loud gasp, and the others turned to stare at her. After a few seconds of flailing, she squeaked out, "You're Beth? _The_ Beth? As in, runner up for Miss Teen Indonesia 2914?"

Beth made an urgent hushing sound. She glanced nervously at the handful of volunteers who were trickling into the parking lot. To her relief, none of them seemed to notice. "Please don't," she said in a low voice.

Ignoring her, Seresu grabbed her by the shoulders. "Why in the world did you turn down the chance to compete for Miss Teen International? You were perfect! You could have won!"

"I was tired of all the attention," said Beth, her forehead wrinkling in frustration.

"Ah… but you were so pretty!" Seresu sighed in disappointment.

Beth's smile was wistful but resolved. "Thank you. It's nice to know I had a fan," she said. "It was fun while it lasted, but by the end I felt so _artificial_."

"Because of all the makeup and stuff?" Atena asked.

"Not just that. The pageants judge a girl on inner beauty as well as outer. It sounds good, but if you have to fake that inner beauty in order to win… that's the worst kind of fake, I think. After a while I couldn't stand the constant scrutiny, the way I had to sugar-coat every word to avoid offending someone. I decided I didn't want to be judged anymore. If you have to lose yourself to become someone who everyone can love, is it worth the cost?"

"Pretty _and_ deep," said Junko with an appreciative whistle. "What's not to love?"

Seresu gazed at her with unmitigated admiration. "You really would have been perfect…"

Beth shrugged. "It was time for me to move on. Now that I'm here in Tokyo, I've decided to pursue my dream of becoming an actress."

Junko gave her a skeptical look. "That would make you feel less artificial?"

"If I'm in character, everyone will know it's not the real me," Beth reasoned. "I mean, there's a difference between pretending to be someone you're not, and… well, pretending to _be_ someone you're not. Know what I mean?"

"Nope," Atena confessed.

Seresu giggled. "You wouldn't understand, would you, Atena-chan?"

Atena's mouth scrunched into a knot. "What don't I understand?"

"I think what she meant to say is that you have an honest heart," Junko explained, reaching down to fluff the shorter girl's hair. Atena tolerated the gesture with a soft grumble.

"How long have you two been in Japan?" Seresu asked, wondering to herself just how long their allies had been hiding right under their noses.

"I arrived here few days—" Beth began, then remembered the whole time-distortion business. "Well, I guess it was a few months ago."

"Time flies when you're having fun," Junko said drily. "As for me, I'm from Seattle. My life's not nearly as interesting as hers. Came here when I was seven, after my parents got divorced, lived with my grandmother ever since. There's not much more to tell. Well, except for the part where Pinky here almost killed me," she joked with a cheeky grin at Seresu, "but you know about that already."

Seresu crumpled like wet tissue, and Beth and Atena shot Junko a dirty look. She gulped and started to apologize, but at that moment a booming voice from the street commanded everyone's attention.

"Volunteers, may I have your attention please."

The morning sun cast its rays over the ridge, highlighting a tall, sleek silhouette. Golden flecks danced in her auburn hair, gathered atop her head in luxurious waves. A light breeze picked up, whipping the tails of the long pink ribbon at her waist and causing her emerald skirt to flutter. As she descended the slope, light glided over taut sinew and womanly curves. There was an easy elegance in her stride, an air of carefully restrained power—the coiled tension of a gathering thunderhead. Strength and femininity had been forever at odds in Kino Makoto the awkward teenager, but both had come to fruition in the adult Sailor Jupiter, twin pillars of protection and nurturing grace. It was that duality that today made her the perfect symbol of healing for Tokyo.

The crowd gathered around her in a half-circle. Faces young and old looked up at her with anxious hope, seeking one last bastion of confidence in a world turned upside down.

"Thanks you all for coming today," she said, making an effort to meet each of their eyes. "I know that many of you are still concerned for family members. Others are facing the loss of a home, or wondering how your business will ever recover. But this morning, when I see all of you standing here together, I know we have already overcome the greatest obstacle. We have hope. As long as that hope is alive inside you, we have a future."

She went on to reassure them that the queen and king were very concerned for them all, and that the government was hard at work allocating funds for recovery programs, and so on and so forth, until she had covered all the talking points the royal speechwriters demanded. Then she got down to business, laying out the plan for today's rebuilding effort. She separated the volunteers into small groups, assigning each a single, specific task. Mercury had suggested that dividing up the work this way would make it seem less overwhelming—one of the many nuggets of wisdom garnered from long hours of studying for grueling medical school exams.

Jupiter smiled when she reached the four familiar young women standing near the center of the front row. It was good to see them all together again. In her eyes, their service today was no less important than the battle they had fought last week, and she was glad to see them performing it as ordinary girls rather than senshi. They needed to do this as citizens of Crystal Tokyo, without all the power and glamour that came with the sailor fuku.

Taking quick stock of the group, she had no trouble dividing up the jobs. First she had Seresu, well-intentioned but uppity, and Junko, who had both the work ethic and conversational skills of a well-trained ox. Manual labor would be best for those two, she concluded (and it might just build a little character for the pink-haired diva.) On the other hand, Beth's natural charisma and Atena's earnest optimism were just the thing to lift people's spirits in times like these.

"Garnier-san and Osaki-san, you'll be with the team removing vines from the buildings," she instructed. "Itokuri-san, Beth-san, report to Relief Station 24 and help with the distribution of emergency supplies."

The four nodded in unison and set off to start their tasks. Jupiter had expected Seresu to whine about the work, and was surprised to see her leading the way instead. Maybe she had misjudged the young leader of the quartet.

It took Jupiter took two hours to finish assigning jobs. She was encouraged to see just how many willing volunteers there were. She wished she could stay and help herself—hands-on work had always been more her style—but as usual, she was needed back at the palace.

* * *

Seresu walked briskly, pretending not to hear Junko's flustered attempts to form a sentence. Her pink designer sneakers slapped out her frustration on the damp pavement. Half of her was irritated at Junko—how dare that ill-mannered Yankee make fun of her when she'd already apologized so many times? The other half, the part closer to her heart, was drowning in shame. How could she be angry with her friend who she had nearly killed with her careless over-reaction? She deserved whatever ridicule she got.

"You know I'm not mad at you, right?"

Seresu's footsteps slowed, and she peeked at Junko over her shoulder. "Really?"

"It was an honest mistake. Like they say, 'to screw up is human, to forgive, divine.' So I forgive you."

"Does that make you a goddess, then?" Seresu asked in a cautious attempt at humor.

Junko threw back her head and laughed. "Me? Oh, that's rich. Nah, I'm certainly no goddess. Just a Christian."

The smile vanished. "Oh," Seresu said, keeping her tone as neutral as possible.

It didn't work. She felt Junko's eyes fix on her like hound dogs on a rabbit. "Do you know the story of Jesus, Garnier-san?"

Seresu gritted her teeth. _Oh boy. Here it comes._ She made herself take a deep, calming breath. "Yes," she said, "I have heard it. I've studied the Gospel, and the Neo-Selenite Creed, and the Eightfold Path—both the Terran and Mauan versions, and every other religion, philosophy or what-have-you, in school. In fact, I probably know more about your faith than you do." She scrunched her eyes shut, reminding herself that she wasn't angry at Junko. "I am still proudly agnostic, and nothing you can say will change that. So I kindly request that you save your breath and my time."

Junko blinked, at a loss for words. "Uh. Okay…" she finally managed to stammer. Seresu had already resumed her beeline for their assigned area. Shaking off her momentary distraction, Junko jogged to catch up.

"But still," she said as they stopped before the vine-entangled wreckage of a building, "if there was ever a time we could use a prayer or two, it's now."

"Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer," Seresu quipped, seizing hold of a gnarled strand. She tugged hard, but it was woven so tightly into the concrete it wouldn't budge.

Junko bent to help her, bracing her foot against the side of the building. "Today we're answering prayers."

"Really? Well… tell me this," Seresu said between gasps of effort. "Why… would any… supposedly good Supreme Being… allow _this_ to happen?"

Junko mulled over that for a second. "People allow—ugh, this thing is stubborn!" She paused to get a better grip. "People allow evil into their hearts. And that evil, what the sailor soldiers know as Chaos, poisons the world." She nodded, agreeing with herself.

"Your god is weaker than Chaos."

"No, of course not. He's all-powerful."

"Then I'll ask again. Why allow this to happen?"

"Well, that's… uh… Hmm." Junko fell silent, and Seresu thought the discussion was over. But after several seconds of cross-eyed contemplation, the green haired girl replied, "Because of free will. A corrupted world with free will is better than a perfect world without it."

"Why can't we have both? As sailor soldiers, and as citizens, we have to believe that everyone is capable of good. This city was built on that belief." Mid-sentence Seresu realized that at some point in the conversation both of them had switched back to English.

"Of course everyone's capable of good. But people are selfish sometimes."

"Why doesn't your god make them not selfish? Why doesn't he make them so that they only want to do good all the time?"

"Then they wouldn't really have a choice."

"Is it better to have a choice? Always?"

"Yeah. I think it is."

"Now you're contradicting yourself. You say that human will is so wonderful, and yet you also claim that people can't accomplish anything on their own—that they need some invisible, all-powerful entity to help them."

"That's not what I said."

"Either people can do good without relying on a god, or they can't. If they can, then we don't need any gods. If they can't, then I can only conclude that any god that does exist is the architect of evil. But it must be nice, having someone else to blame for all your failures."

"Not exactly. The way I see it, all good things comes from God, but my mistakes are my own, when I fail to trust Him."

"I see. How very convenient," Seresu said drily.

The vine gave way all of a sudden, and the two of them tumbled backwards. Muttering under her breath, Seresu examined her ruined manicure. Junko spat and flung the broken vine aside with more force than was strictly necessary.

"So, whose prayer were you answering just now?"

Junko's crooked grin returned, more forced this time. "Not yours, I hope."

Seresu sighed and started in on the next patch of decaying foliage. For a while they worked in silence. The heap of discarded vines between them grew until they could barely see one another.

"Hey, Junko?" Seresu spoke up out of the blue.

"Hm?"

"We do have a choice between good and evil. Between standing against evil or giving in. So if we fight hard enough and never surrender, we'll be able to protect everyone. Right?" Seresu wasn't sure whether she was offering reassurance or asking for it.

"I sure hope so."

"Are you afraid?"

"…Yeah."

Seresu brushed her hand over a small patch of smooth crystal that had been spared from the destruction. Her reflection stared back at her, pale and wide-eyed and so very fragile. "Me too."

* * *

At the empty storage locker that the recovery workers had dubbed Relief Station 24, Atena and Beth hefted the last crate of bottled water off of the rickety old hybrid-electric truck that was delivering supplies to their station. Fossil fuel-powered vehicles were a strange sight these days, when city services and the few people who didn't opt to travel by train used hovercars as their main mode of transportation. Lauded by some as the innovation that had saved Earth's atmosphere, hovercars used fuel cells made from Kaguyite, a synthetic mineral created in the Silver Millennium that had been rediscovered by Oozora Tsukimi's 23rd century Lunar expedition. (Incidentally, the first street-legal hovercar model, the Toyota Luna, was named after the queen's feline adviser, who was a longtime friend of Oozora's father.) Ten minutes at a charging station, connected directly to one of the city's subterranean fusion reactors, could provide drivers with several days of smooth, quiet, emissions-free travel. But now that the power was shut off, they had to fall back on centuries-old technology.

"Whew! That was heavy!" Atena exclaimed.

Beth dusted her hands off and admired their handiwork: a floor-to-ceiling stack of crates in no particular order. "We should get organized before people start showing up."

Atena made a face at the word "organized."

"Let's pile all the bottled water on one side and all the canned food over there," Beth suggested, pointing as she formed her plan. "Laundry and personal hygiene items in this general area, and… well, the rest we can just figure out as we go. It'll make it easier to find everything quickly," she explained when the blue-haired girl still looked skeptical.

"Yeah, I guess so," Atena said with a shrug, and the two got to work. "Just don't go all Seresu on me, okay?"

Beth giggled. "What?"

"Seresu-chan's a total neat freak. A while back she decided my house was too messy, so she brought everyone over for a—I think she called it a 'cleaning party.' Then my room got wrecked when a monster attacked, and she showed up at my door the very next day to clean again!"

"That was nice of her."

"It was," Atena agreed, feeling a twinge of shame for complaining about the free (and, she had to admit, much-needed) help. "But she can be so pushy sometimes, you know?"

"I can imagine," said Beth, recalling how Seresu had mobbed her earlier.

"…She really admires you."

"She admires runner-up Miss Teen Indonesia."

"Does that mean Miss Teen Indonesia isn't the real you?"

Beth grew pensive. "Yes," she said after some thought, "but I guess I can't blame Garnier-san for that."

If Atena had meant the question to be rhetorical, her face betrayed nothing. "Well, I don't know a thing about pageants, so as far as I'm concerned, you're just Beth-san."

Beth smiled. "You have no idea how refreshing that is."

They finished rearranging the crates just as the first family arrived at their station, a couple and their son. Beth greeted them with carefully restrained cheer and asked what she could do for them. She didn't want to seem flippant at a time like this, but it wouldn't do any good to be depressing, either. They didn't ask for much, only a few bottles of water and a pocket solar cell. Atena entertained the little boy with silly faces while Beth fetched their things.

"I'm glad we did this," said Beth as they watched the family walk away with renewed hope in their eyes.

Atena nodded in agreement. "It sure beats fighting all the time."

A few minutes passed with nothing but the sound of a lone cicada chirping somewhere outside.

"So, what do you like to do for fun?" Atena asked.

"Let's see… I watch a lot of old movies. I love anything made before the 22nd century."

"Oh," said Atena, trying her best to be interested. "Um, neat."

"Back then the interactivity was really limited. No randomized scenes or diverging storylines or real-time alternate endings. No emotional-response metrics whatsoever, in fact."

"You mean everyone saw the same movie every time?"

"Exactly! Filmmaking was more of an art form in those days."

"Got any other hobbies?"

"I paint. Badly." Beth laughed. "I like to write short stories, and occasionally a poem or two. Window shopping is always fun. And I collect vintage Jones soda bottles, if that counts as a hobby."

"Do you like video games?"

"Never really played them that much. What kind of games do you like?"

"Console, arcade, you name it. I'm pretty good at sports games and action RPGs, but my specialty is DDR! I'm aiming to be a champion at next year's Tokyo convention!"

"Oh. Neat."

_Chirp. Chirp-chirp._

Both were secretly relieved when the next group arrived, this time from a local school where many people had taken shelter. They asked for batteries, some instant ramen, and water. And so it went, hour after hour, Atena and Beth cheerfully distributing supplies to a steady stream of people… until they realized their supply of water was dwindling, and the crowds were not. The blankets ran out next, then the dehydrated food. At half past noon they turned the first person away empty-handed. By one they were digging through piles of empty crates for the last few supplies. After one final torturous hour, they closed the station, leaving over a hundred people standing outside. The best the girls could do was direct them to nearby stations, though they suspected the situation there would be the same. Crystal Tokyo's state-of-the-art technology was proving to be a mixed blessing—they enjoyed the highest standard of living on the planet, but they had relied on their AI systems and hovercars, their always-available internet, their touch-screen voice-activated everything, for so long that they had forgotten how to survive without them. When the unthinkable happened, they found themselves unprepared.

Beth sighed and shook her head as the metal doors rattled down, shutting out a sea of disappointed faces. "If you'd told me yesterday that dealing with monsters was the easy part of our job, I wouldn't have believed you."

* * *

Mercury clucked her tongue in disapproval as she examined Endymion's shoulder. "No sign of infection, but there's still a lot of swelling. Have you been wearing your sling?"

"Yes," said Endymion.

"No," said Serenity.

The king grumbled at his wife's betrayal. "I may have taken it off once or twice. They needed help down at the loading docks…"

_And he wonders why it hurts_, Mercury thought, frustrated. It was hard to fault Endymion for wanting to be involved with his people's recovery, not to mention that he was used to being able to heal himself at will. But without his Golden Crystal, that power was gone, and his body was aging more quickly every day. Though she was sensitive enough not to bring up what the royal couple must already know, she feared that even if they recovered the crystal they would not be able to fully reverse the damage. It was ironic. Her mother's generation would have said that 930-odd years was more than long enough for one man to live. But his wife and daughter were still practically immortal. What would it be like, to let go of the man they had loved for centuries, to go on living without him for untold ages? And in her heart of hearts Mercury questioned, not for the first time, if this so-called triumph over nature they had achieved was really so wonderful.

Jupiter poked her head in the door. "How are you feeling, King?"

"My back is killing me. I apparently have a torn ligament in my shoulder. My daughter won't speak to me—or anybody, for that matter. My capitol city is a disaster zone. And I'm being stalked by a little grey cat who won't stop apologizing for things that aren't her fault. So probably not quite as stressed as you."

A rueful laugh escaped Jupiter's lips. "Well, get some rest and feel better soon. Mercury, we've got another meeting in twenty minutes. Most of the Alliance systems have heard about the quote-unquote terrorist attack and would like to help. Representatives from Mau, Phidara, and Betelgeuse 5 arrived this morning, and a group from Lethe-Mnemosyne should be warping in any minute."

"How generous of them," Mercury said with a tight-lipped smile. They all knew it was likely that some of the other planets were not concerned for their well-being so much as eager to exploit Crystal Tokyo's moment of weakness for political leverage. There were many in the Alliance who believed Serenity's de facto leadership had stood unchallenged for far too long.

"Naturally, we'll need to make sure their people have as little contact with one another as possible," the queen reminded them. "Certain parties still blame certain other parties for certain events during the Shadow Galactica wars."

"That was back in the twentieth century," Mercury exclaimed. "They still haven't worked out their differences?"

Serenity shook her head in dismay. "It's hard to work anything out when they won't talk to each other."

"The Mnemosyneans requested your attendance as well, Queen," said Jupiter. "Shall I tell them you're too busy?"

"No, no. I'll make time," Serenity insisted. "I'll just cancel the meeting with the budget committee—they always overrule me anyway—and I don't really need to have my hair done before the press conference this evening, no matter what our public relations advisor says…"

"Are you sure?"

"It's the least I can do." Serenity cast a mournful glance at her husband as Mercury finished bandaging his wounds. "I couldn't even protect my own family during the attack…"

"We know you wanted to help, but as queen, you serve your people best by remaining safely in the palace," said Mercury, with a pointed look at Endymion.

Jupiter nodded in agreement. "I'd have wrestled you to the ground before I let you walk out that door."

Serenity chewed on her lip. "It's been bothering me. What Usagi said that day she and Pallas were attacked. Why is my life worth more than someone else's?"

"No one's life is worth more than anyone else's," Mercury said gently, "But as Saturn pointed out—"

"I was wrong."

The four of them turned in surprise at the voice that spoke from the doorway. Saturn clasped her hands stiffly over her skirt, her eyes not quite meeting theirs. "I was wrong," she repeated. "If our only justification is that life is unfair, then we're no better than the Moirae. What gave us the right to kill that woman? To avenge the innocent people she murdered?" Saturn looked down at her gloved hands, half expecting to see them stained with blood. "I've killed _millions_ of innocent people."

"Saturn…" the queen began, one hand extended in a soothing gesture.

Saturn's eyes pierced hers, at once lost and convicted, pleading and accusing. "What gives us the right to decide who lives or dies? Because we have the power?"

The queen shuddered and gripped Endymion's hand tighter with every question. Jupiter saw her unraveling as Saturn gave voice to all her own doubts. She wavered, torn between wanting to hug Saturn or drag her out of the room and scold her for dumping her emotional burdens onto Serenity. And how would she answer if Saturn turned those uncomfortable questions on her? She had struggled with the same uncertainty as a teenager, and though she had come to terms with the necessities of her job over the years, it was hard for her to condense that experience into words.

Thank goodness for Mercury's rationality. The soldier of ice and wisdom crossed the room in two strides and laid her hands on Saturn's trembling shoulders. "It is not about who has power," she said. "And it is not about vengeance or justification. Those are all selfish things. We have a responsibility to protect others because of the power we have. With that responsibility comes, at times, some difficult choices." She glanced over her shoulder at Serenity; her words were for both of them. "The queen's safety must be our top priority, because many more will be saved in the long run by protecting her. Not that her life as an individual is worth more, but it is better for society as a whole if we keep her safe."

For a moment, Saturn looked like she wanted to believe her. Then she shook her head and tore herself from Mercury's grasp. "That's just a nicer way of saying the same thing," she muttered. Before any of them could stop her, she turned and ran down the hall.

* * *

"The queen's resurrection must be our top priority, Little Brother. Have you forgotten?"

Perle nodded with a touch of impatience. "I know that."

"Your enthusiasm is lacking these days. You're spending an awful lot of time playing your flute and eating cookies."

"I've met my quota, haven't I?" Perle's stormy expression betrayed his true feelings. In spite of every well-crafted rationale his brother could offer, he had never liked this business.

Poupelin's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing, instead turning to address his other colleagues. "Things are going as planned. At this rate, we'll collect enough sugar energy to awaken Badiane-sama in no time. Banane, keep up the good work in Cambodia. Orangeat will move on to Hong Kong. And as for you," he hissed at Perle. "I have a special assignment for you. Come."

As his brother's two lackeys departed with maniacal giggles, Perle reluctantly followed Poupelin to the bow of the airship. For a long time they skimmed over the marbled cloud tops in icy silence. At last the craft shuddered and angled its wings for descent. As thick gray mists closed around them, Poupelin folded his arms over his chest and looked down his nose at Perle.

"I don't mind if you have a little fun on the side while you're scouting out targets—though I thought you were a bit young for that sort of thing. But she's become a distraction."

"She…?" Perle repeated in confusion. A second later, the ship broke through the curtain of clouds to reveal a glittering urban skyline. His eyes went wide as he realized where they were. _Tokyo. Chibiusa's hometown._

"A girl bakes one batch of cookies for you, and suddenly you care more about her than your own family."

Perle gulped, wondering how Poupelin had found out about that. "She's n-nothing to me," he stammered, praying that Poupelin wouldn't call his bluff. "Just like you said. A little fun on the side."

"Good. Then you won't mind collecting her. Badiane-sama says she has a very special kind of energy. The purest we've ever seen."

Perle gawked at him for a few seconds, and Poupelin's frown deepened. "Is there a problem?"

They had come to a stop over the Tsukino home. Perle glanced down at Chibiusa's open window and back at his brother, searching for a way out. He found none.

"No," he murmured.

The flute felt oddly heavy in his hands as he drew it from his pocket. He climbed onto the railing of the ship, took a deep breath, and stepped over the side. For a few seconds he threw his arms out wide and relished the thrill of freefall, the cool night air streaming past his face and tousling his soft white curls. Iridescent dragonfly wings sprouted from his back; their soft, frantic fluttering slowed his descent until his bare feet settled lightly onto the pavement. He stood there in the middle of the darkened street, eyes closed, feeling the music flow into him. All at once he lifted the flute and began to play, a cheerful yet haunting melody.

In her bed, Chibiusa stirred. Like a marionette in the hands of a clumsy puppeteer, her body lurched upright and began to march in time with the flute's song, out of her bedroom, down the stairs, and out the front door to the street where Perle was waiting. She was smiling, but it was a doll's smile, hollow and demented. Her eyes were two red stones. Gone was the vivid sparkle that had captivated him since their first encounter.

Perle stopped playing. Chibiusa stopped marching. Trembling, he took half a step toward her.

"This isn't you," he whispered. "This isn't you."

Behind him, the sound of heavy footfalls on the pavement made him jump. He whirled to see Poupelin glaring down at him.

"What are you doing, Perle?"

Perle looked from him to Chibiusa. At that moment, a strange new feeling welled up inside him. Defiance.

"To make dreams come true, you need strength and courage," he declared. His voice was soft, but there was conviction in it. Poupelin jerked back, regarding Perle with a mixture of pity and disgust.

"She's bewitched you," he huffed as he brushed past his brother and pulled out his own flute. His song filled the air, and Chibiusa staggered toward him, falling into step with his shrill, insistent staccato.

"No!" Perle cried, tugging on his arm. "Please, stop!" But Poupelin shoved him aside and kept walking, Chibiusa in tow.

From down the street came the tinkling sound of a bell, followed by a childish voice shouting, "Small Lady!"

Puzzled, Poupelin turned around in time to catch a flash of gray.

"Yeowch!" Chibiusa yelped, clutching her bleeding arm. "What was that for, Diana?"

Diana spat out a piece of Chibiusa's pajamas and waited for her to realize that they were in the middle of the street.

"Ack! What am I doing out here?" Chibiusa frowned as her memories began to sort themselves out. "Was I hypnotized? That music! You!" she exclaimed, pointing at Poupelin. "You're the one who's been kidnapping all the kids, aren't… you?"

She trailed off in shock and dismay when she noticed Poupelin's companion. "Perle?"

The young fairy fumbled for words. "This is not what it looks like!" He bit his lip, realizing that the situation was exactly what it looked like. "That is, I—I never meant to…"

"You tricked me," she choked out. _You tricked me, and I fell for it like an idiot!_

Tears blurred her eyes as she gripped her compact. "Moon Prism Power! Make Up!"

In a flash her pajamas were replaced by a crisp pink and white sailor suit. She summoned her Pink Moon Rod and leveled it at her would-be friend, feeling the familiar tingling warmth of power coursing through her veins. She willed it to collect in her trembling hands, opened her mouth to speak the incantation, and…

She just couldn't do it.

"Perle," she whispered, lowering the wand. "We're friends, aren't we?"

Before Perle could say anything, she heard Poupelin shout, "Papillot!" and something hit her in the nose. For a weapon, it seemed pretty soft. She backed away, expecting whatever it was to explode or do something nasty. She was even more confused when she realized what it actually was.

"Candy?"

"Look out, Chibi Moon!" Diana warned.

A miniature face sprouted from the bonbon and looked up at her with a wide-eyed, sickly smile. Chibi Moon shrieked and kicked it away. It grew as it skittered along the ground, sprouting puffy round arms and legs. The face swelled into a grotesque parody of a baby's face, with skin blue and shiny like a candy shell. Righting itself, it waddled toward her again, pudgy fingers grasping, making sounds that were half infant gurgle, half bestial growl.

This time Chibi Moon had no qualms about using her power. "Pink Sugar Heart Attack!"

Though the attack looked (and smelled) like a stream of paper hearts and spun sugar, it was as deadly as Mars's fire or Venus's chain. The creature took the brunt of the attack, shrieked and melted away. Poupelin dropped to his knees with a pained grunt, clutching his side where the beam had grazed him.

"Brother!" Perle cried. He dashed to Poupelin's side, raising his flute once more. The song he played this time was not one Badiane had taught them. It was much older, woven from the deep magic of his homeland. Low, reedy notes formed a steady pulse, repetitive and soothing, accented with higher-pitched flourishes like the calls of songbirds in the morning. In spite of herself, Chibimoon gaped in awe. No music on Earth sounded like that.

Perle closed his eyes, feeling the music, until his own heartbeat matched it. He reached out to find Poupelin's unsteady pulse, fluttering in fear and rage. Slowly, gently, he formed a channel between their minds, drew his brother's heartbeat into sync with his own, until both pulsed even and strong. Healing could not be forced or rushed. A cool, soothing mist surrounded Poupelin's wound. In moments, the flesh knit itself back together until the only sign of his injury was the tear in his shirt. Only then did Perle let the music fade.

Without so much as a thank-you, Poupelin sprang to his feet and lunged at Chibimoon again. Perle was faster, and jumped between them, arms outstretched to shield his friend.

"Stop it!" he pleaded.

All of a sudden the ground trembled. An icy gale howled down the narrow street, kicking up a miniature tornado of dried leaves. In its wake, every lamp on the block went dark. Even the stars overhead seemed to dim. A few seconds passed in pitch blackness. Then the sky tore open, peeling back to reveal a twisting void of shadows that made the midnight sky seem bright by comparison. The image of a woman appeared, tall as a skyscraper, pale as a corpse. She wore an ornate gown of deep brown and bittersweet orange. Her scarlet lips were drawn tight in a frown.

"Badiane-sama!" Poupelin gasped, dropping to one knee.

"The time of my awakening draws near," the queen rumbled in a deep, sonorous, honey-on-gravel voice. "What's taking you so long? Bring the child to me!"

Poupelin continued to grovel. "Forgive me, queen. It's my brother. That girl has put strange ideas into his head."

"She has nothing to do with it!" insisted Perle, knowing that he wasn't fooling either of them. "Brother! When did you come to love violence?"

"I don't. You're the one disrupting our plans."

"Your plans are evil!"

"Be quiet, Perle," Poupelin hissed through gritted teeth, nodding his head ever so slightly toward Badiane. Aloud, for her benefit, he added, "You'll understand when you're older."

"That's an adult's excuse for doing things even a kid knows are wrong," Chibimoon shot back.

"It's for their own good! And ours!" Poupelin declared, and Perle realized with dismay that he believed what he was saying.

"That's right," Badiane crooned. "This impertinent child doesn't know any better. But I'll take pity on her." She reached through the portal with a giant, skeletal hand and seized Chibi Moon.

* * *

"Noooo!"

Perle sat bolt upright, awakened by his own scream. Only a nightmare, he told himself. That was all in the past now. He brushed back the strands of white hair plastered to his sweaty forehead, trying to calm his ragged breathing.

His companion in the next bunk stirred and peered up at him with sleep-clouded eyes. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," said Perle, swallowing hard. "I just had a dream. About Chibiusa."

Suddenly the other man was wide awake. "Shh! Don't use that name around here."

Perle pinched the bridge of his nose, kicking himself for being so careless. "Right. Sorry."

"That power I gave you has a few side effects. Among other things, you'll have some vivid dreams."

"I'll say. Why can't the good ones ever be that detailed?"

The other man chuckled. "Try to get some sleep. We've got a busy day ahead of us."

Perle fell back onto the lumpy bed with a sigh. He closed his eyes, but sleep was a long time coming.

* * *

The night was endless, boundless, devoid of all sensation. She was boundless too, a concept without form. She floated through the dark ether, unfettered by mind or body. She was, in a sense, aware of herself, but herself was the whole universe. She was infinite, and she was alone.

But she was not alone.

There was another, a dim shadow of a thought, an ideal deeper than truth. A ghost. Light as a cobweb it brushed against her reality, and it terrified her. This was her sacred ground. There should be nothing here but her, but there was another her. Or was she the other?

Light shimmered down through the murky depths, beckoning her upward. That way was the outside world, with all its pain and uncertainty, its gravity and limitations. She swam toward it. Anything was better than remaining here with the ghost.

The first thing Calomel was aware of as she drifted up through the fog of anesthesia was a blur of red and orange that slowly solidified into Pyrolusite's face. That thought was tied to another: _I can see._

Her brother peered down at her anxiously, eager to see the results of his handiwork. "So you're awake. How does it feel?"

"Hurts," she mumbled. She felt like she'd been eating cotton.

He grinned. "It's working, isn't it?"

"Yeah." She looked around the dingy infirmary, testing out the new eye. The focus was not quite right, and once in a while random blocks of color flashed across her vision, like a malfunctioning TV screen. She tried to blink, then remembered that her eyelid was gone.

"The blurriness and noise should improve over time," said Pyrolusite. "Your visual cortex is still integrating with the circuitry, and the lens and aperture have to calibrate themselves to your nerve impulses."

"Everything looks flat."

"Obviously. You've lost your stereoscopic vision. If you would let me replace the other eye—"

She cut him off. "No. I'm keeping one."

"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug. He finished cleaning the surgical droid and peeled off his rubber gloves. "You should rest. There's a bottle of painkillers on the table; take one in a hour or so. I'll be in the lab."

"Onii-kun?"

He paused in the doorway. "What?"

"Thank you."

He stared at her, dumbfounded, for a few seconds. It wasn't often that he heard those words. Certainly not from Calomel. "Yeah, don't mention it. Come down to the lab when you're feeling up to it. I want to run some tests."

With that, he was gone. Calomel settled back against the bed, staring up at the ceiling. After a little while, she reached up and pressed the switch on her new eye. Darkness closed around her as it powered down, and she realized it no longer frightened her. Before, she had defined the world by what she could sense. Before, she had defined herself by the image in the mirror. It was not until that mirror was taken away from her that she'd learned to recognize the self that existed outside. Maybe it never really had been the darkness she was afraid of.

"I am me," she whispered to the empty room.

* * *

The volunteers had already cleared away most of the debris at Ground Zero. Sailor Mars had made that easy enough—for the most part, ash and soot were all that remained after the battle, and the rain would wash those away. The crystal buildings, imbued with Serenity's magic, were already starting to regenerate themselves. Later the sailor senshi would be along to patch up the most critical spots by lending their own energy. But for now, only a handful of well-meaning souls lingered, wandering around in a mostly fruitless search for ways to be useful. None of them noticed the woman, dressed in the colors of mourning with a shawl draped over her head, skulking along the perimeter with downcast eyes. They probably assumed she was in a state of shock, overwhelmed by grief. Perhaps she had lost someone in the attack and was seeking out the spot where her loved one had died.

That much was true, but had they looked closer, they would have seen a steady resoluteness in her stride. Yes, Petalite was grieving, in a way no other citizen of this glass-walled sanctuary could understand. She had been like them once, wide-eyed and faithful, believing to the last that the White Moon queen would save them. But she had seen it all torn down in war and madness, and she had learned to be her own Messiah. She wasn't like those rebels who had gone over to Wiseman for petty spite and fear of any new thing that challenged their narrow view of the natural order. She respected the royal family for what they were: important symbols of Earth's unity. But she no longer looked to them for deliverance. That was the greatest difference between Moros and Serenity. Moros recognized that her people must find the strength to forge their own destinies. She was a leader, not a sheltering goddess. Power alone made one secure in this world, and power belonged to those with the will to seize it.

Ripidolite must have finally understood that, and it had led her to rebellion. A rash reaction, certainly, but founded on right reasoning. It might have eventually led her to wisdom, had she survived long enough. But now Petalite mourned alone for the woman every other tongue condemned.

As she approached the spot where Ripidolite had made her disastrous last stand, her mind drifted back to one of their last conversations. It had been just after the sailor senshi defeated Ripidolite's servant Jasper, and she had asked Petalite a question that at the time had made her furious.

What she had heard, what had incensed her so, was an insolent girl questioning whether Petalite had the right to call herself her mother. But what Ripidolite had actually asked was, "am I really your daughter?" Which was a different thing entirely. And it was a question she could not answer, because the fear that drove it was not unfounded. Her children's past was, strictly speaking, a lie.

It was justifiable, she told herself. By blood and tears she was their mother. She had earned that. Calomel and Pyrolusite ought to accept what they were told, because it was what they needed to believe. The truth would destroy them.

And yet, Petalite noted with some irony, she found it incredible that Moros would lie to them?

No. She banished the thought. Moros was their benevolent queen. She shared their vision. She would never betray their trust, because she had nothing to hide from them. She loved them.

...like a mother loves her children?

The sound of metal scraping on asphalt made her look down. Her foot brushed had against a pair of long, dark shears. A weaver's tool. Silently, she stooped to pick them up, ran her fingers over the name inscribed in raised letters along the outside of one blade. A false name, and a false history to go with it, but together they formed a person who had been as real to her as any.

"_You will soon learn, Ripidolite, that a thing is best judged not by the time it takes to build it, but by the time it takes to destroy it… I care only for that which endures."_ The last advice she'd given her daughter. She wondered if, knowing how it would all end, she would still have said the same thing.

She slipped the shears into her pocket and nonchalantly strolled out of the square, reaching out with her mind to seek the nearest stable teleport point. She was lucky; there was one in an alley a few blocks away. Coming here had been risky, and sorrow was her only reward. But she dreaded the task that awaited her when she returned to the base even more.

After a moment's consideration, she decided to break the news to Calomel first.

* * *

Michiru sat by the window in Hotaru's apartment, hands folded over her silk skirt, and waited. A teenage girl's heart was, at times, like an ocean tide: ever changing, ever in motion, but predictable to one who knew its patterns. And though her daughter was approaching her nine hundred twentieth birthday, in many ways she was still a teenager, her body frozen in time by a magical oath that bound her forever to the princess. It was hard for an old soul to dwell so long in a young body. Neptune had asked the queen to allow her to reach her late 30s before stopping her aging—still young enough to fight, but old enough that her physical form reflected at least some of her inner maturity. Not long ago, Jupiter had confided in her that she was starting to wish she'd done the same. But it was harder for Saturn than any of them. She was trapped between two worlds, forever the baby of the queen's senshi, but too often a babysitter to the princess and her posse. Nine centuries of adolescence, and not a single day as a normal girl. Michiru was not at all surprised to hear about Saturn's meltdown. She was only surprised it had taken this long.

The door slid open, and Saturn stumbled in. She didn't see Michiru until she was halfway across the room. Then she froze. Panic flashed across her face, followed by shame. She finally settled on annoyance at the invasion of her privacy.

"Michiru-mama. I wasn't expecting you."

Michiru made her voice stern. "Take off that uniform."

Saturn blinked. "Huh?"

"You don't deserve to wear it right now." _And I need to talk to Hotaru._

Saturn paused for only a moment before she obliged. Her purple sailor uniform broke into ribbons and dissolved, leaving her in a plain black frock. Hotaru tiptoed across the room, gingerly seated herself on the end of the bed, and waited to be chastised.

Michiru gazed out the window for a few moments longer, as if she expected to find answers in the maze of crystal streets. "Sounds like you've had a rough week."

She heard Hotaru draw a sharp breath. Compassion was obviously not what she'd expected.

"Jupiter told me about what happened," Michiru continued, finally turning to look her in the eye.

Hotaru winced. "Everything?"

"You were out of line, talking to the queen that way."

"I know," Hotaru mumbled, head drooping. She had already been removed from the scouting mission and issued a formal reprimand for disrespect toward the royalty. It was a slap on the wrist; she suspected the "punishment" was really intended to give her a day of rest, and to give the tension between her and Usagi time to cool. That only made her feel more ashamed.

Michiru found herself wishing Haruka were here. She was so much better at pep talks. But then, maybe what their daughter needed wasn't just a morale boost. Soft aqua light pooled in her hands, forming itself into a golden hand mirror. Her talisman, the Submarine Mirror, was made to seek out truth and bring it to light. She placed it in Hotaru's hands.

"Tell me what you see."

At first, Hotaru jerked back at the sight of her own face. She shifted uncomfortably, but went along with the exercise. For a long time she sat gazing into the glassy surface, lips pursed. Just when Michiru was beginning to wonder if she would answer after all, words slipped from her mouth.

"A hypocrite."

Michiru wanted to hug her, to tell her that was nonsense, that she was the least hypocritical person any of them knew. But stroking her ego now would accomplish nothing. She reached out and gently lifted Hotaru's chin until she could look her in the eyes. "Why would you say such a thing?"

"Usagi-chan and Pegasus Kamen could give you a few reasons."

Michiru nodded, her suspicions confirmed. "Ah, yes. That young man who seems to have charmed the princess."

Hotaru swallowed hard. "I acted so high and mighty, treated him like a threat. He wasn't the one who just murdered someone."

Michiru played devil's advocate. "If what you did was murder, then he would most certainly be an accomplice. But it wasn't. You were defending our city."

"That's no excuse," Hotaru argued, tension building in her voice. "I just... judge people in the blink of an eye. I suspect everyone. Guilty unless proven innocent."

"You're a guardian. That's your job."

"That's what I always told myself. But is that the real reason? Or is it because I don't want to be taken in and used again? And I'm angry at Usagi for believing in him so easily, because she reminds me of the Tomoe Hotaru who used to make excuses for her father. She only sees what she wants to see. She can't bear to face reality—can't admit to herself that she's being played. She's so adamant in her delusions that she doesn't even think about the consequences for everyone else. She lied to everyone to protect him!" Her voice broke. "She lied to me."

Michiru said nothing, only held out her arms. Hotaru fell into them like an exhausted child, felt her mother's steady heartbeat washing over her. She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn't come.

_White hair and a gentle smile. Eyes that are always hidden. Pegasus Kamen... looks a little like my father._

* * *

The door of Pyrolusite's lab slammed open, and a billowing cloud of steam poured in.

He turned, a protest on his lips, and found a bolt of ice hurtling at his face. He jerked his head to the side, but it plastered his shoulder to the wall. Another pinned down his wrist. Calomel stalked toward him, brandishing a sharpened icicle.

"Damn you!" she growled. "You traitor! I'm gonna kill you!"

He gulped as she pressed the point of the icicle to his neck. "What are you—"

"You didn't tell me the target was Ripidolite!" Calomel screamed. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? You killed her! You and that stupid robot of yours killed her, and you used me to do it!"

She saw her brother's face grow pale. "Ripidolite's dead?" he choked out.

Gnashing her teeth, she dug the ice into his skin, felt his throat spasm in terror and pain and confusion. For a few long seconds she held him there. But she knew Pyrolusite. He could craft grand schemes of deception, given time to plan, but on the spot he was a lousy actor.

And he wouldn't kill his own sister.

The weapon slipped from her fingers. She stepped back, and the ice holding him dissolved into vapor. "You didn't know."

His knees buckled and he steadied himself against the wall, shaking his head. "I was just trying to bring her in because Aether said she was…" His brow furrowed. "No. No way. I only used the non-lethal weaponry. Nothing I didn't know she could handle. Taser darts, mini-rockets. They'll make a loud bang, and a direct hit _might_ cause a concussion, but there's no way—She was fine! Injured, maybe, but… She destroyed the 920-M. I don't know where she went after that…" He slid down the wall, sat hard on the floor as the realization hit him. "It was enough to give the sailor soldiers an edge. She should have made short work of them, but they wore her down. Because of me."

"Because of us," Calomel corrected.

Both of them were silent, staring at nothing, as the reality of their loss settled on them. They stood there for a long time that way.

"No," Calomel burst out suddenly, contradicting herself. Her hand clenched into a fist. "Sailor Moon and her traitor senshi killed our sister. It's their fault. Theirs and no one else's."

"It doesn't really matter whose fault it was," said Pyrolusite. "She's gone. There's nothing we can do."

"There's one thing. Revenge."

"Don't be childish," he snorted. "This is a war. People die. You don't get to feel outraged. The strong survive and the weak perish, and people who do stupid things are lucky if they live to regret them. Our sister was unlucky."

"How can you be so heartless?" Calomel cried.

He surged to his feet, amber eyes flashing. "It's kept me alive so far," he hissed. "See where passion got Ripidolite. Do you think you're so much stronger than her? What makes you think you can succeed where she failed?"

He'd half expected Calomel to snap back at him, but she turned away, chin quivering, and said nothing. He watched the pride and anger bleed out of her, until she was like him, a hollow, bitter shell with nothing left to fight for but survival. It was not as satisfying as it should have been, her admitting that he was right.

Then she looked at him, one vacant blue eye and one glowing red, and said something that caught him off guard. "Well… for one thing, I've got you on my side."

Pyrolusite was not (in spite of the company he kept) an unfeeling robot. He merely preferred to catalog his emotions, and quickly discard the ones he didn't find useful. But for once, he found himself without an algorithm to describe the clamor of conflicting thoughts that flooded his mind.

Calomel seemed to mistake the blank stare he was giving her as contempt, because she grew defensive. "You say this is a war, and the strong survive. Well, I've got power that you'll never have. And you… you're smart. In ways that I'm not. Ripidolite knew it too, that's why she stole your idea for the golems. You've come closer to killing the senshi than anyone else. But you couldn't have done it without me. We're stronger together, onii-kun."

Without a word, he rose and went to his lab bench. Opening a compartment on the side, he pulled out what looked like an alien ray gun from a low-budget sci-fi horror flick.

"In order to develop a good AI, one has to understand how intelligent beings make decisions," he said. "How they form priorities. In other words, their motivations. If I could recreate that process within a machine, I thought, perhaps I could also learn how to _influence_ it in living organisms." He placed the gun in Calomel's hands. "Another gift from the Carnelian Project."

"Mind control?" Calomel whispered, staring at the weapon with a mixture of fear and avarice.

"Almost. It uses electromagnetic frequencies to induce a state similar to hypnosis. You can't make a person do something she doesn't want to do, per se, but you can remove all those pesky inhibitions. Find the right pressure points, and she'll believe anything you tell her. I've tested it successfully on rats. So far, I haven't had much luck with humans, but then, I'm not particularly fond of dealing with them. That's where you come in."

A smile gradually spread over Calomel's face. She'd actually heard her brother admit, in so many words, that he needed her.

"I've been thinking you were right about something," he added in reflective tones. "I should have made Carnelian a boy. I thought they'd trust a girl more easily, but look at what that jackass in the white tuxedo did to them without even trying. They don't trust him at all, and yet they've let him tear them apart." He threw up his hands. "I don't understand women at all."

Calomel suppressed a giggle. "Do you miss Carnelian?"

"If I missed her, I'd build her again. Right now we've got more important things to do. As you know, we've been tracking the sailor soldiers' movements. Based on the pattern of their appearances, we're able to narrow down where their civilian identities are likely to reside, and we can start building a profile of their daily routines. For example, we already know that Moon, Saturn, and Pallas attend Crystal Juuban Public, while Ceres, based on her response time, is at another school 2-5 kilometers away." He tapped the gun. "Use that to turn the people of Crystal Tokyo against them. Create a public disturbance. Ping the map, see who shows up first. We'll map out the rats' nest. And then…"

"And then?" Calomel prompted.

A dark smile twisted his lips. "What else do you do with vermin?"

* * *

Usagi and her friends wormed their way through a dense crowd of autograph-seekers in the pit, trying not to step on any toes. Seresu apologized to everyone they jostled, while Atena juggled enough junk food to feed a small village and Beth tried to keep her face covered just in case anyone might recognize her. Usagi doubted any of the bikers would be overly excited by the presence of a teen pageant queen or even a princess, but she followed Beth's lead anyway. Junko wasn't there. In her excitement to see the show, she had run into the arena ahead of them and was probably already saving their seats. Of course, she was the only one who knew where their seats were.

"Aha! A map!" Seresu exclaimed, pointing to a signboard posted along the outer wall, in exactly the opposite direction that everyone else was moving. The girls squeezed through a veritable wall of sweaty flesh and leather jackets and finally reached the (faded and not entirely to scale) map. While Seresu was trying to puzzle out where they were, the rest of the crowd dispersed and found their seats. The girls were so preoccupied that they didn't hear the doors shutting behind them as the show began. All of a sudden, Usagi felt someone squeeze one of her odango.

"Cute hair," a teenage boy's voice rasped in her ear. "You look just like the princess of Crystal Tokyo."

Usagi turned her head just far enough to size up the stranger. He was tall, or would have been if not for his poor posture. His bleach-blond hair stuck out at crazy angles from under a bright red sweatband, and his pants looked three sizes too big. He clearly thought himself quite charming, by the way he had planted his hand against the wall to trap her. His fingers trailed down her cheek to brush her shoulder in a way that made her stomach turn.

A pair of shorter boys trailed him like guard dogs. The matching red bandannas tied around their necks even reminded Usagi of collars. The one on the left was a snaggle-toothed bulldog, underbite and all, who panted and grinned stupidly the whole time. The one on the right was more of a husky, with shaggy black hair and piercing blue eyes that stared at the girls as a predator might regard a piece of raw meat. Only then did she realize that the atrium was empty except for herself, her friends, and the three of them. With all the clamor from the show, no one would hear them out here.

All three boys had lecherous thoughts written on their faces—the two sidekicks were silently negotiating over who got Beth and who got Seresu. (They ignored Atena, as boys generally did. She was lucky that way.) The leader, meanwhile, had clearly selected Usagi for himself, and was looking down at her with a condescending smirk that made her blood boil.

"You're pretty," he drawled. "Why don't you come sit with us?"

"Thank you, but we already have our tickets," said Seresu, edging away from them. "And look, the show has started. I believe we shall be going now."

The shortest boy grabbed her arm. "Wouldn't you rather sit in my lap?"

Usagi decided to put them in their place.

She tossed back her bangs, letting the light glint off the golden crescent on her forehead. Lots of people wore the odango hair style these days, and even pink hair was common enough, but only the royal family had that mark.

"Holy crap, she's really the princess!" the bulldog yelped and jumped back, knocking over a garbage can. He scrambled to his feet and would have kept running if the leader hadn't grabbed the back of his shirt. The look on the husky's face was priceless. He was practically clinging to the leader. But if his lackeys were intimidated, the blond boy's eyes gleamed all the brighter at the unexpected revelation.

"Well, well. Your Highness," he said with a bow that seemed almost mocking. "This must be my lucky day."

"L-let's get outa here, boss," the bulldog whined, still trying to free himself from his companion's grip.

The other nodded in agreement, eyeing Usagi with pure malice. "It's not worth it. The sailor soldiers 'd skin us alive if they caught us messin' with her."

"Shut up or I'll skin you myself, you gutless wimps!" the leader snapped. His voice switched back to faux-tenderness as he turned back to Usagi. "Now, where were we?"

Gritting her teeth, Usagi whipped a can of pepper spray out of her pocket and aimed it at his nose. Incredibly, he still didn't back down, only gave her what he seemed to think was an endearing look. "Come on, babe. Do you have to be like tha—tch!"

A vice-like grip on his collarbone cut him short, and a familiar voice asked, "Is this guy bothering you, Princess?"

Junko had finally decided to come looking for them. Usagi sighed in relief (mostly at not having to use the pepper spray) and nodded.

"That's what I thought."

Without batting an eye, Junko drove her knee into the side of his ribcage. He dropped to the ground, gasping, and she booted him once for good measure. Seeing their leader incapacitated, the two sidekicks took off running without looking back. Junko shoved the blond boy's face into the concrete, pinned his shoulder to the ground, and started twisting his arm as Usagi watched in mute horror.

"I believe that's quite enough," Seresu admonished after a few long seconds. The look on her face suggested that she didn't entirely disapprove of the punishment Junko was dishing out, but as leader of the Quartet, she had to keep her team on the moral high ground. With public suspicion running high thanks to the false senshi and Moirae attacks, the last thing the royal family needed was another scandal.

"In North America, if a guy doesn't know how to respect a woman, we figure he's not smart enough to understand much else except pain," Junko growled, "Now apologize!" she shouted into the boy's ear.

"Mmrph," he gurgled.

She grabbed his hair and jerked his face up off the pavement. "I didn't hear you."

The boy's face was a mess of tears and mucus. "Oww!" he sniveled, flopping like a dying fish.

"That didn't sound like an apology to me!"

There was no telling what she might have done if Beth hadn't intervened. "Junko-chan," she said softly. "Don't stoop to his level."

Junko hesitated, and looked at Usagi.

Biting her lip, Usagi nodded in agreement. "He's sorry now. He won't bother me any more. Isn't that right?" she asked the boy, hoping for his own sake that he would say yes.

"Yeah, okay! Sorry!" he yelped when Junko's knee nudged his bruised side again.

"Let him go," Usagi commanded.

Junko released her hold on the boy, though none too eagerly. "Yes, ma'am."

He scrambled to his feet and took off running. "Crazy bitch!" he yelled over his shoulder just before disappearing around a corner.

Junko snorted in disgust. "Yeah, he was sorry all right," she muttered.

"Mom would have let him go," Usagi said, trying to reassure herself.

"Are you okay, Usagi-chan?" Atena asked with a slight tremor in her voice.

For her sake, Usagi put on a smile. "Yeah. Don't worry about me."

"I agree that we shouldn't resort to street justice," Seresu said with a sideways glance at Junko. "But don't you think we ought to have handed him over to the police? Behavior like that is nothing short of harassment."

"It's okay." Usagi dusted off her skirt and started walking toward the arena. "Come on, we're running late."

"It's not okay!" Junko exclaimed as the four chased after her. "Forgiveness is one thing, just letting him off scot-free when he's not showing the least bit of remorse is another!"

"Nothing bad happened," Usagi insisted, quickening her footsteps. She clearly wanted to forget the whole ordeal. "Why should I go running to the police when I have four sailor senshi protecting me?"

"But what about the next girl he picks on?" Atena pointed out.

Usagi stopped, guilt flashing across her face. She hadn't thought of that.

She shook her head and kept walking. "Come on, we're late."

* * *

At three in the afternoon, the Glass Hour was empty, and Hotaru was immensely grateful for that fact. She slumped against the far end of the bar, nursing a dry London gin, and cocooned herself in bitterness. She hated the Moirae. She hated her father for selling his soul to alien invaders, and for dying. She almost hated Usagi, and immediately hated herself for it. She even hated her drink—which was exactly the reason she'd ordered it. It gave focus to all the ugliness that was brewing inside her.

But underneath it all, she didn't hate anyone. She was just tired of feeling bad about herself for trying to do the right thing.

Her talk with Michiru had given her a modicum of clarity. She was not a hypocrite. She believed in the things she fought for. If being a sailor soldier meant she occasionally had to perform unsavory duties in the name of protecting her princess, she would do it without hesitation. Still, a little gratitude—not even gratitude, just a little _understanding_—once in a while would be nice.

She hadn't spoken a word to Usagi since the last battle. The memory of their fight replayed itself unbidden within her mind. She drowned it with another swig of the disgusting beverage, ground her teeth as she felt it burning down her throat. Though her friend's words had been hurtful enough, Hotaru hadn't expected them to gnaw at her this way. It had been centuries since Professor Tomoe's death. She should be over it by now. Unlike many people who faced tragedy, she'd literally been granted a new beginning, a chance to start over as an infant with a new family, a new life, a new destiny.

And yet, the old destiny lingered. No amount of happiness would just make the loss of her birth father go away. Even if he didn't deserve her mourning, even if the real man had died before she had a chance to know him, he was her father, and he was a part of her. All the love Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna showered upon her could not perfectly erase that wound.

It made her wonder what else was still lurking below the surface.

She could recall in perfect detail the day the familiar voice had whispered to her, while she was soaking in the bath, of all things. She had climbed into the tub as a child, and emerged as a teenager. With a towel hastily wrapped around herself, she had run down the hall and looked into the mirror to see Saturn the Destroyer looking back at her. That time the senshi had needed her in the fight against Nehellenia. Then it was Galaxia. Then Death Phantom. There was always something forcing her to take up the glaive again. At least it was under her control this time, its destructive influence buffered by her new, stable human body and the healing power of Serenity's love. And Usagi.

Setsuna had told her once that if you could find one good thing in the midst of a tragedy, it would be enough to let you live on without regrets. Meeting Usagi had been her one good thing. Whenever doubts and sorrows from her past threatened to overtake her, she could remind herself that if all of those horrible things hadn't happened, she would never have met her best friend. But now that friend was the one to rip open the scars. Over a boy.

It was all Pegasus Kamen's fault.

Her logic was indefensible and she knew it, but she allowed herself to entertain the thought for a while. It made her feel a tiny bit better than blaming herself or Usagi. After all, he _was_ suspicious. He did resemble her father in a superficial way—she could see that now—but no, her apprehension was justified. At least once he had managed to sneak into the training facility undetected. That alone was dangerous enough, but knowing what she knew now, that he had enough contact with the Moirae to know the location of their base…

And yet, on that occasion when she'd caught him sneaking around the palace, he had managed to talk his way out of it, and even convinced her to heal him! What was she thinking? She was as bad as Usagi!

She realized that her whole body was tensing up at the thought of him, and forced herself to take a deep breath. She reached for the glass of gin again, then thought the better of it, remembering that she weighed all of 50 kilos soaking wet, and rarely drank other than on holidays.

She needed someone to talk to.

"Why the long face, honey?"

Hotaru's head popped up, startled by the unexpected voice. The bartender, a tall, broad-shouldered woman with wild black and purple hair that hung over half her face, was smiling down at her with a hint of concern.

"Oh, I…" Hotaru paused to clear her throat. "Nothing. I'm sorry, are you closing?"

The woman's orchid-painted lips quirked up in coy smile. "No, take your time. You were staring so hard, I couldn't help but ask."

Hotaru sighed and traced her finger over a ring of condensation on the countertop. "My friend likes a guy, but I think he's trouble. She won't listen to me when I try to warn her."

"Ah… haven't we all been there?" the woman said with a knowing smile. She grabbed a stool and seated herself across from Hotaru. "The name's Nocturne, by the way. I own this joint." She laughed at Hotaru's startled look. "Not quite what you'd expect, hm?"

Hotaru caught herself staring at Nocturne's amethyst nose stud and blushed. "I'm Tomoe," she said quickly. "My friends and I are big fans of your restaurant."

"I know. I've seen you in here a few times before." Again Hotaru's surprise elicited a chuckle. "Keen observation is key in my business. But it doesn't take a genius to see that you hate that drink." In a twinkling she produced a glass of ice and a bottle of water from under the counter. "Here. On the house."

Hotaru hesitated only a moment before gratefully draining the glass. She felt better already.

Nocturne leaned forward on her elbows. "Now I don't like to be nosy, Tomoe-san, but if you want my advice, I say stick to your guns. If you've got a bad feeling about this guy, then there's a reason for it. Protect her from him, even if it strains your friendship, and she'll thank you in the long run. If she's a good friend."

"She is a good friend."

"Then don't you think she'd do the same for you?"

Hotaru fell silent. _What would Usagi do?_ she wondered to herself. _Would she try to stop me? If I liked a man like Pegasus Kamen…_

Immediately she clamped her mind shut on that thought. As if she'd ever be so foolish! For one thing, Pegasus Kamen might very well be the Moirae's informant. She recalled Ripidolite's words during the last battle.

"Well," Nocturne said briskly, standing up. "Come on back any time you need a drink, or somebody to talk to. I take good care of my regulars."

Hotaru murmured thanks and asked for her check.

On her way out the door, she paused to glance back. For some reason, she had a strange feeling about Nocturne. She was positive she'd never seen the woman before, but… maybe she should tell Usagi.

No, it was nothing, she decided. Just too much to drink and not enough sleep. Yawning, she turned up the street toward her apartment.

* * *

The whine of hydrogen thrusters punctured the air as several dozen bikes crested the hill at the center of the arena, kicking up clouds of dust in their wake. Beth and Junko leapt from their seats with whoops of exhilaration, while Atena bounced and clapped her hands, spilling some of her popcorn.

Their two pink-haired companions did their best not to yawn.

"How long have we been here?" Usagi whispered to Seresu.

Seresu checked her watch and sighed. "Not even an hour." She cringed as the riders' tires slammed into the dirt, splattering mud all over the wall of the arena and the first few rows of onlookers. "You know, there's a reason we invented hovercars…"

Usagi nodded in agreement. "Looks like they're enjoying it, though," she observed, pointing to the mud-stained fans. Indeed, they were cheering all the louder.

Seresu shrugged. "To each their own, I suppose."

"You see that orange TC-250?" Junko was saying to Beth and Atena. She pointed to a bike near the front of the pack. "That's Vita Jokumsen's granddaughter, Astrid."

"Who?" Atena asked.

"The woman who lead the charge for gender de-segregation in motor sports," Junko explained. "Men and women competed in separate events until almost the 23rd century. The women's events always got smaller budgets, smaller prizes, and less media attention, so of course they weren't as competitive. People used that to justify keeping women and men separate. But she entered the men's competition anyway, and she left 'em all in the dust! From then on they couldn't argue with her."

"I remember reading about that," said Beth. "I mentioned her as one of my role models in my speech at the 2912 Miss East Java competition."

Junko gave her a surprised look. "You were into motocross back then?"

"Er, no," Beth said sheepishly. "I was going to talk about Audrey Hepburn. But one of the other contestants had already picked a movie star as her role model, and I didn't want to seem like I was copying her. You see, that kind of malarkey is exactly the reason I quit!"

Junko laughed out loud. "Well, in any case, you have heard of her."

"Yeah. I didn't know she and her partner had adopted any children, though."

"They didn't. But they had two."

"Huh? But… wasn't her partner Rryulan?" Beth asked, confused. (The Rryula, native to the Libra sector, were not thought to be able to reproduce with humans due to a number of genetic incompatibilities.)

"Yeah. They used something called the chimera fusion technique."

Seresu's interest was piqued. "I've heard of that. Basically, they stick two cells together and induce them to start dividing. The resulting embryo has two distinct sets of genes, one from each parent."

Junko nodded. "But right after their second daughter was born, a handful of special interests in the Alliance pushed through a treaty that required the destruction of all female embryos produced by chimera fusion. Which effectively made it impossible for two women to use it."

Atena frowned. "Why?"

"Because women can be sailor senshi," Usagi said softly.

"Oh…" Dismay filled Atena's face as she realized what Usagi was implying. "They thought we'd start breeding super soldiers."

"As if Serenity would do something like that!" Junko scoffed.

"Actually, I can see the cause for concern," said Seresu after a moment's reflection. "Perhaps our queen wouldn't allow it, but do you think that say, the Phidaran Senate would be so scrupulous?"

"Technically Phidarans don't even have females," Junko pointed out. "I mean, two of their sexes are sort of woman-ish, but…"

"They already tried to exploit that loophole," Usagi said with a grimace. "The Alliance had to amend the treaty to state that 'female' meant anyone who can become a sailor senshi. Mom was _so_ mad that she had to sit through another round of negotiations for something she didn't want in the first place."

Atena licked popcorn grease off her fingers and hoped they would start talking about something more interesting soon.

"Well, even so, we shouldn't let fear of what a few bad guys might do ruin something that could help so many people," Beth declared.

"I think we can if it would prevent another Sailor War," Seresu insisted. "Can you imagine what it would be like? To be looked at as a weapon instead of a person?"

"We're looked at differently regardless," Usagi sighed in a voice audible to no one but herself. _We were born sailor soldiers._ _Our lives and our fates are different, whether we admit it or not._

"But Garnier-san," Junko was saying, "can _you_ imagine what it would be like to know that you and the person you love can never have a child together, all because of some paranoid politicians?"

"There's always adoption. Or good old-fashioned somatic cell nuclear transfer."

"Well yeah, but… I dunno. It's not quite the same."

"It sounds as though you believe that if a child doesn't share her parents' DNA, she isn't really a part of their family."

"That's not what I meant! I just—gosh, it wouldn't matter at all to me, but some people want their kid to look like them, you know?"

"You're aware that Hotaru-chan is adopted, right? Her parents seem to love her just the same, even if she doesn't look like them."

"Please don't drag Hotaru-chan into your arguments," Usagi felt compelled to say.

Junko opened her mouth to reply, then thought the better of it when she noticed how uncomfortable her other three friends looked. Instead she just smiled at Seresu. "I like talking to you, Pinky. You've always got an interesting point of view."

Seresu grew flustered. "Y-you're changing the subject."

"I think we've had quite enough of this subject," Usagi said, to Atena's relief.

"Very well, then. What shall we talk about?" Seresu asked.

"Boys," Usagi decided, crushing Atena's hopes of any conversation in which she would be remotely interested. "Have you managed to ask Julian-san on a date yet?"

Seresu's cheeks went from pink to red, and she answered in a hurry, "No, and I have no intention of doing so. What gave you such an idea? If Julian-san is at all interested in me, he could do a little more to show it—I've no interest in a man who's too shy to ask me out. And if not, you won't catch me pining over him. I'm not one of those girls who needs arm candy to bolster her self-worth."

Atena and Junko had already returned to watching the bikers, but Beth gave Seresu a wicked grin. "You talk too much."

"You assume too much!" Seresu shot back. "With all due respect, Princess, I don't believe you need to concern yourselves with my personal life."

"Ah, but when it's Helios and I…"

Seresu's only reply was a blank stare. Usagi thought she had the upper hand, and was about to continue with a smug remark, when she realized that her friend's eyes were actually fixed on something behind her. She turned, and could scarcely believe her eyes when she saw a pair of solemn-faced police officers, and between them, the boy who had tried to molest her a while ago.

"Pardon me, ma'am," the shorter of the officers, a stout, round-faced woman, said with a bow that conveyed hints of embarrassment. "This young man tells us that you and your friends assaulted him."

"It was her," the boy said, pointing at Junko. "She's the one who tried to break my arm."

"You yellow-bellied weasel," Junko began, rising from her seat. Her friends had to hold her back. Atena and Seresu were too appalled to speak; Beth had too much sense. But Usagi lowered her eyes.

"It wasn't her fault," she said, standing up. "I made her do it."

Her friends gasped, and immediately broke into a chorus of denials, but she brushed past them and stood before her accuser.

"I had her beat him up for me because he was bugging me." Usagi was purposely spinning the story to make herself sound bad, trying to draw the condemnation she was certain she deserved (though perhaps not for the right reasons.)

_I used my crescent moon mark to scare them. The most sacred symbol of our heritage, and I used it to bully the people I'm supposed to be protecting!_

The first officer still looked skeptical, but the second, for his part, was eyeing her sternly and seemed more than willing to believe the allegations. Not everyone in Crystal Tokyo held such a rosy opinion of the monarchy. Contrary to what many outside their kingdom believed, Serenity and Endymion tolerated and even welcomed dissent, as long as no one tried to incite violence. In fact, they received their critics with such fair-minded graciousness, and were so well respected even by those who disagreed with them, that within their court there was a perpetual air of civility that was the envy of many other star systems. But the recent trouble with the Moirae had damaged their image, and as of late there were rumblings of a more sinister kind.

By now, the commotion had attracted attention from the nearby audience members, and they were craning their necks to see what would happen.

Usagi lifted her nose haughtily. "I'm a princess," she told the boy. "You should have known I was out of your league."

Now disgruntled murmers rippled through the crowd.

"She thinks she's above the law," someone whispered.

"What a spoiled brat!" said another.

"Is that really how it happened?" the first police officer asked.

"No!" Usagi's friends exclaimed in unison.

"Yeah, that's what happened. She admits it," said the boy, eager to seize on any opportunity to get revenge.

Frowning, the officer waved aside the others' remarks and focused on Usagi. "Do you dispute the charges, Tsukino-san?"

Usagi's face hardened stubbornly and she shook her head. "No."

That was all the invitation the other officer needed. "Hands behind your backs, please. Both of you. You have the right to remain silent."

"Way to throw me under the bus, Usagi-chan!" Junko exclaimed angrily as he cuffed her. Beth smacked her forehead, wishing Junko would keep her mouth shut for once. Her comment served to frame them better than anything the boy could have said.

Usagi blinked, not quite comprehending what was happening. "Wait a minute. I said it was me! Let Junko-chan go!"

"I'm afraid not," said the male officer. "You just admitted that she attacked the victim. If you thought you could get her out of trouble because you're royalty, you were mistaken."

Beth nearly gagged in disgust at the mockery of justice that was unfolding in front of her. "Who's the victim here?"

"You can't do this!" Seresu cried.

"The law applies equally to everyone, ma'am," he replied crisply.

"Where's your proof? It's his word against ours!" Seresu argued.

"This isn't fair!" Beth agreed.

"We're just going to hold them for questioning until we can figure out what really happened," the woman explained in what she meant to be calming tones.

"Then why aren't you holding him?" Seresu demanded to know.

"Calm down, or you can all spend the night in jail," the male officer threatened.

Atena burst into tears. Her loud wailing drowned out everything anybody else tried to say for several minutes. At length the man led the handcuffed Junko and Usagi toward the stadium exit, while his partner tried to push back the increasingly curious crowd. Their friends followed at a distance, Seresu already dialing the Crystal Palace on her cell phone. Serenity would surely have intervened, and the whole matter might have been settled quietly, if Junko hadn't happened to glance back and catch the gaze of the blond-haired boy. He saw her looking at him, and gave her a self-satisfied smirk.

And Junko lost it.

Thrashing and yelling vulgarities in a peppered mixture of English and Japanese, she wrenched herself free of the policeman and tried to kick him in the shins. Her aim was too high, and he dropped to the ground, wheezing in pain. The female officer was too shocked to do anything before Junko knocked her to the ground. With her hands still bound behind her back, she made a headlong charge at the boy.

Before she could reach him, though, a throng of angry citizens formed a wall in front of him. Junko couldn't stop herself from barreling into them, and they soon wrestled her to the ground.

"Don't, Junko! Stop it! Let her go!" Usagi shrieked, tears streaming down her face.

"You don't own us, Princess!" one of the brave ones shouted from somewhere in the back.

"We won't be slaves of the Silver Galactica!" another chimed in. (Though originally a disparaging term for the Alliance, the term had found its way into Earth's lingo via intergalactic newscasts, and was now being eagerly misused by Terran pundits—most of whom knew nothing about the history of the Sailor Wars or Galaxia—to criticize the queen.)

Junko had disappeared, hidden by a throng of curious onlookers who craned their necks to watch the group that was trying to hold her down. Usagi forced her way between them, trying to reach her friend, and soon was out of sight as well.

From her perch at the top of the row, Calomel frowned. This was getting out of hand. The princess was in trouble, and no sign of the sailor senshi. Some guardians they were! If they didn't show up soon, she decided she would have to intervene herself. She rested her finger on the trigger of Pyrolusite's odd-looking weapon.

Below, Seresu exchanged a meaningful glance with the other two senshi. They might be compromising their identities, but there was no choice. The three huddled together, hoping that no one would see their faces.

"Ceres Star Power!"

"Pallas Star Power!"

"Vesta Star Power!"

"Make Up!" they shouted together. Shocked gasps emanated from the crowd, and they were temporarily distracted from Junko and Usagi.

Calomel rejoiced in her unexpected luck. Never mind mapping out the rat's nest. All the little rats had come to her. Well, most of them, anyway. Juno was missing, and that pesky Sailor Saturn. Which was odd, since she and Sailor Moon were usually first on the scene, especially where the princess was involved. Speaking of the princess… Calomel squinted, trying to peer through the wall of sweaty bodies, but it was no use.

Sailor Ceres momentarily commanded the people's attention, and was trying to talk some sense into them. Maybe half of them were listening, but the other half shouted back obscenities and grew all the more rowdy. Pallas appeared to be holding Vesta back.

Then a burst of pink sparkles and green lightning exploded from somewhere within the crowd, sending a few people flying backwards into the stands. A wave of static rippled across the stadium. Unfortunately for Calomel, that caused the electronics in her artificial eye to go haywire, and for a few seconds her vision was taken over by a seizure-inducing pattern of random lights and colors. With an annoyed grunt, she switched the thing off and back on. When she got it working again, she was greeted by the sight of Sailor Juno standing in the middle of a ring of nervous onlookers, one arm wrapped protectively around… Sailor Moon?

Calomel's jaw dropped. Why was Juno protecting _her_ instead of the princess? There was only one explanation. Suddenly all the puzzle pieces fell into place. Sailor Moon, that good-for-nothing traitor, was planning a coup, and the princess's guardians had already gone over to her side. They weren't quite ready to make their move against the royal family yet, but in a crisis, it was abundantly clear where their loyalties lay.

Juno's brash move had done little to win the sympathy of the crowd, even the ones who hadn't figured out that she was the same green-haired girl who had started this whole mess. All of them eyed the senshi with increasing fear and loathing.

Calomel couldn't have planned it any better herself (except maybe the part where the princess had gone missing.) She took aim at a random person: a chubby, balding man with grease stains on his pants, and activated the mind-control device. It made a low humming sound, and waves of orange light emanated from the barrel. The light seeped into his eyes, until they too glowed a dull orange. Immediately, he turned toward her, mouth slightly agape, face blank and empty. Waiting for orders.

"Attack Sailor Moon!" Calomel commanded.

His pleasantly plump features twisted into a look of maniacal rage, and he charged down the aisle with a bloodthirsty yell. Ceres and Vesta intercepted him before he could reach his target, and struggled to hold him back without hurting him. Moon cringed and hid her face in Juno's sleeve, while Pallas made ineffectual pleas for everyone to calm down.

Satisfied, Calomel swept the gun over the whole crowd. In moments the orange light invaded their eyes, and they were putty in her hands. With pointing fingers and fists in the air, they fed off one another's rage, heaping insults on Serenity and her family. Soon they were spouting xenophobic rhetoric about Lunarian influence that hadn't been heard since the days of the Black moon. It made her sick to hear it, but she would use it if it meant getting revenge.

"Now!" she screeched, pointing to the arena. "Throw the sailor soldiers down there!"

There was no way the five girls could hold back several thousand people without hurting them. It was ironic, Calomel thought with bitter amusement. If they only knew what the senshi were plotting! These fools would martyr them for the very establishment they sought to destroy. It served them all right, she thought.

Sailor Moon screamed as the crowd heaved her over the arena wall and into the dirt. She heard four wet splats as her guardian senshi followed her. Pallas groaned in pain, Ceres in disgust and mortification.

"Ugh! If I didn't think it would get us killed, I'd redo my henshin right now just to get clean!"

"Come on, it's only dirt," Vesta began, but was interrupted by what sounded like a barbarian war cry.

"Yeeeaaaah!" Juno roared, hurling two fistfuls of mud at the men who had just tossed her down. "Yeah, you want some more? Come get it!" With a raucous laugh, she scooped up another wad.

The other three senshi stared at the undignified display for a few seconds. Then Pallas let out a little cheer and joined in with a good deal more enthusiasm than was appropriate for the situation.

"Cut it out, you two," Ceres scolded. "Something isn't right here. Those people weren't just angry, they were _insane_."

Pallas and Juno stopped, looking sheepish. Suddenly an ominous rumbling filled the air, growing louder and more high-pitched as it approached. The sound of engines.

"Bikers at ten o'clock!" Pallas yelped, pointing. The other senshi turned to see a wall of headlamps rushing at them.

"Scatter!" Ceres shouted, and wasted no time following her own orders. The five of them dove for cover just in time as the bikers went flying past. Mud splattered against the wall as they skidded to a stop and turned to try again.

Pallas and Vesta ended up hiding under the same ramp. "Ceres is right," Pallas whispered, peeking out at the rows of cruel, eager faces staring down at them. "They're acting really strange. And look at their eyes!"

"Huh," Vesta said with a frown. "They're all orange. That is weir—look out!" She pulled Pallas's head down just in time before a pair of bikes went roaring over them. Moments later, they heard Sailor Moon scream. Abandoning all thought for their own safety, they scrambled up the ramp to find her.

They made it in time to see the biker duo narrowly miss their princess. She had her wand out, but couldn't bring herself to use it. The two bikers peeled off in wide arcs and came around for another pass, chasing her through a narrow tunnel. Bit by bit, they forced her back toward the wall. Ceres was running for her life with three more of them hot on her tail. Juno had shimmied up a light pole to escape and was now trapped, with a pair circling below her like sharks. Pallas and Vesta were the only ones who could help Sailor Moon now. But before they could reach her, the two bikers who had been chasing her spun abruptly and doubled back, headed straight for them. They had to jump out of the way again, and tumbled back down the ramp.

A hush fell over the stadium. The hypnotized crowd turned toward a tall hill near the edge of the arena, right in front of where Sailor Moon stood with her back to the wall. At the top stood a lone rider on an orange Husqvarna. It was Astrid Jokumsen. She pulled off her helmet, and the wind whipped her long, flaxen ponytail. The same strange orange glow was in her eyes as she glared down at Sailor Moon. Her engine gave a menacing growl as she revved it once, twice.

With a shriek, she charged down the slope full-throttle, blue light flaring from her thrusters. Sailor Moon tried to evade her, but Astrid's eyes were sharp and her reflexes were quick; she anticipated every move and adjusted her course to run her target down. Pallas and Vesta got to their feet again and ran to help, but it was too late…

At the last second, a flash of white streaked across the track, and Sailor Moon found herself flying through the air in Pegasus Kamen's arms. He had sprouted a pair of feathery white wings, and a few powerful flaps carried the two of them to safety.

Unable to stop herself, Astrid had to bail from her bike. It slammed into the arena wall and burst into flames while she went tumbling through the dirt.

Pegasus Kamen fluttered to the ground a safe distance away and gently set Sailor Moon on her feet. She could only stare in wonder as he folded his wings beneath his cape, where they vanished. He bowed in apology to the fallen woman.

"These people aren't really angry with you," he told Sailor Moon. "They're being controlled."

She was silent, her eyes fixed on the burning wreckage. She wanted to believe him, but their hatred had seemed real enough before they threw her into the arena. It was true that they seemed unusually violent, but after the show she'd put on she couldn't blame them.

To her surprise, he clasped her hand between his and looked into her eyes with earnest concern. "You didn't do anything wrong," he said softly. "Please don't punish yourself anymore."

Suddenly, she found herself blushing and crying at the same time. Embarrassed, she tried to hide it by pretending to cough. "I didn't… but I just… it doesn't seem right. For me to be protected above everyone else, like I'm so special. Maybe I don't want to be special anymore." She swallowed hard and looked up at him. "I'm so tired of all the fighting."

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Just remember that you're not alone."

Meanwhile, the three bikes chasing Ceres were closing on their quarry fast. She was tired, and running out of tricks. Just when she was certain they would run her down, she heard the sound of slipping tires, and her pursuers went spinning out of control on a sheet of ice. She looked back to see Pallas waving at her.

"Thanks," she breathed, thoroughly winded now that the adrenaline rush was over. "Where's Sailor Moon?"

"She's okay. That guy saved her again," Pallas said, pointing.

Ceres looked up the hill to see her princess apparently in a deep and meaningful conversation with Pegasus Kamen. She watched with mixed emotions as he caught hold of her hands and said something that moved Sailor Moon to tears. He certainly seemed to care about her, but Ceres knew by now that the Moirae specialized in manipulation and deceit. She might not be as eager to condemn him as Saturn seemed to be—after all, the only concrete evidence against him was a throwaway comment by a deranged psychopath—but she could still imagine a number of ways that this affair might end very badly.

A more immediate concern for their own safety soon took over, when she saw the pair who had been chasing Pallas and Vesta earlier coming around the track. A meaningful glance passed between Ceres and Pallas, and in an instant a plan was formed. They took off in a sprint in opposite directions. The two bikers separated to chase them. The senshi led them up and down hills and through tunnels toward a massive tabletop jump at the center of the track. Pallas let her pursuer close on her until she could feel the heat of his engine. She made a last desperate charge up the ramp, and just as she reached the top, flopped on her belly in the dirt. She felt Ceres land beside her. As predicted, the bikers behind them went soaring over their heads on a collision course.

But before they could crash, Ceres rolled onto her back and held her palms to the sky. "Fragrant Cornucopia!"

A whirlwind of light caught the bikers, holding them suspended in midair. Pallas sniffed curiously as a sweet scent wafted up around them. She gave Ceres a puzzled glance as the other senshi lowered their would-be attackers to the ground. Both were draped over their handlebars, snoring softly.

"Lavender and chamomile," Ceres explained. "It put them right to sleep."

"Wow!" Pallas marveled.

A few seconds later, Sailor Moon and Pegasus Kamen joined them on the hilltop. With a brief smile of thanks to him, Sailor Moon ran to her senshi. "Ceres, you were right. Everyone's being brainwashed. We have to find out who's behind this."

Ceres frowned, looking up at a spot in the stands. "Shouldn't be terribly difficult."

The others turned to see Calomel perched on the guardrail, waving at them. "Yoo-hoo! Over here, you little traitors!" she called.

"I should have known," Pegasus muttered. "And I'll bet your brother's involved, too."

"Do you feel it? The hatred of all Crystal Tokyo?" Calomel taunted. "You've earned it, Sailor Moon."

"Fine words from a Moira witch!"

A crackle of flame at her feet made Calomel jump back with a squeak. Sailor Vesta snapped her flaming whip again to make the point.

"Hmph," Calomel sniffed. "There's no point in arguing with fools. Get them!" she ordered the rest of the people. Obediently, they started to climb over the railing and jump into the arena. Vesta had to back up to avoid being surrounded.

"Enough of this," said Pegasus. He cupped his hands, and a ball of golden light swelled between them, like a miniature sun. He pointed at Calomel with both hands and shouted, "Pegasus le Rêve Aurora!"

The light surged forward in a brilliant rainbow beam. Calomel shrieked as the blast struck her, knocking her backwards behind the next row of seats. The strange gun she was holding clattered to the ground, let off a few sparks, and then fell apart. Around the stadium, the orange glow faded from the people's eyes, and they collapsed. Calomel herself didn't reappear.

"She ran away?" Pallas wondered aloud.

"That was… quick," said Moon uneasily._ Almost too quick._

Pegasus touched her shoulder. "Sailor Moon. These people need help. The shock of being released from the mind control must have been too much for them."

She turned in a slow circle, taking in the grim panorama of unconscious men and women. All of them had suffered because of her. Because she had tried to make them hate her.

"You can do it!" Pallas encouraged her, mistaking her hesitation for doubt in her abilities.

Moon swallowed hard, staring at the wand in her hand. Would they want to be healed by her, after everything she'd done?

Ceres stepped closer to her and said in a low voice, "You're the only one who can do it." When the princess looked up at her, she added, "There's a reason all of us protect you. And it's not just because we like you."

Moon managed a shaky smile. "But you do like me, right?"

"I wouldn't drag myself through this mud pit for someone I didn't like."

With renewed confidence, Sailor Moon climbed to the top of the hill and lifted her Pink Moon Stick high. Tiny sparkles of light gathered around the crescent, growing more intense by the second, until it was too bright to look at.

"Moon Brilliant Revival!"

The light blossomed outward, and a glittering shower of silver and gold rained down over the fallen people. She held the wand aloft, pouring out all her power. Even when she started to feel light-headed, she pushed herself further. It was her duty to her people. No, more than that. It was an act of penance. Light engulfed the stadium as she summoned her last ounce of will to complete the healing.

The next thing she knew she was horizontal, staring up at the blue sky. It took her a few seconds to realize that she'd fainted. Ceres, Vesta and Juno were hovering over her. She wondered absently where Pallas was.

"Mrrgh," came a voice from underneath her.

Moon squeaked and rolled off her friend with numerous apologies.

"No worries," the younger senshi replied. "Pallas is your guardian! Even if it means I have to be your pillow sometimes."

Sailor Moon threw her arms around Pallas's neck and hugged her tightly. "Thanks. You guys are the best."

The warm fuzzy moment was interrupted by a cry of pain from Ceres. Ice crystals had sprouted around her feet, and were spreading up her legs. Before she could react, she was frozen up to her neck. Her pink eyes widened in terror as she struggled in vain to escape. A familiar cackle rang out from the seats behind them, and Calomel emerged again.

"Did you think you'd get rid of me that easily?" she taunted. "Now, let's make a deal. You hand over Sailor Moon, or else I give your beloved leader a lobotomy." To accentuate the remark, she conjured up a gigantic spike of blue-white ice, the sharp end pointed at Ceres's nose.

"As if we would ever!" Ceres retorted bravely, though her voice was weak from the ice crushing her chest. "Don't worry about me. Attack her!" she urged her teammates.

But Moon and Pallas were too afraid to move. Vesta and Juno only looked at each other. Calomel grinned, relishing their anguish. "I'll give you to the count of ten."

"Then we'll give you to the count of five! Juno Double Bind!"

Calomel wasn't expecting the counterattack, and Juno's electric rings pinned her arms to her sides. She squealed and kicked, but her attempts to escape only earned her a few nasty shocks.

Vesta summoned a large fireball and bounced it between her hands like a toy. "Juno, do you like your Moirae regular or extra crispy?" she asked in a dangerously sweet voice.

Calomel trembled and licked her lips, eyeing the flames. "All right. We can talk."

The fire glowed white-hot in Vesta's hands, and her red eyes burned brighter with anger. "You can let her go. And then we'll let you go. Otherwise…" She allowed a tongue of flame to flare up and singe Calomel's skirt, making her flinch.

"You think I can't put this thing through her head faster than you can toast me?" Calomel snarled.

"Either way, things don't end so well for you," Ceres pointed out, with a remarkable amount of spirit for someone who could neither move nor see any of the confrontation that was going on behind her. "You know, burning to death is a very unpleasant way to die."

The look on Calomel's face said that she did know it, but she pushed her luck one more time. "This doesn't have to be so difficult. All you have to do is step aside, and give me one clear shot at Sailor Moon."

_And with her out of the way, Pyrolusite and I will have no trouble hunting down the rest of you, you cowardly dogs._

Vesta was tired of negotiating. "Ember Stri—"

"All right, all right, all right!" Calomel shrieked. The ice shard aimed at Ceres dissolved in a puff of steam. Moments later, the rest of the ice that was holding her cracked off and melted. Ceres dropped to her knees, inhaling gratefully.

Vesta gave Calomel a long, hard stare, then banished the fireball with a wave of her hand. She looked at Juno, who nodded and released the bind.

"I won't forget this," Calomel hissed. She summoned a portal and practically flung herself into it.

"Yeah. Don't," Vesta shot back as it closed behind her.

They all hurried to check on Ceres, who was getting to her feet with Pallas's help. To their surprise, she seemed dissatisfied.

"We had Calomel right where we wanted her! If only I hadn't allowed myself to be trapped like that. I wish you hadn't let her go."

"We made a deal. I keep my promises, even to an enemy," said Juno.

"Besides, she could've killed you in retaliation," Vesta added.

"Even if she had, it would be worth it to apprehend such a dangerous criminal."

"There's no way we're trading your life just to nab some two-bit troublemaker!" Vesta exclaimed. The others agreed emphatically.

Ceres sighed and shook her head. "Greater women have died for lesser things. But… thank you."

"We didn't come here to arrest Calomel, though," Sailor Moon recalled.

"That's right," said Ceres. "After all this, there's no sign of the Moirae base."

Moon frowned. "It really seemed like it should have been here."

"You'll never find it that way," Pegasus Kamen declared. The senshi turned to stare at him, put off by his discouragement but nonetheless intrigued. "You can't just walk up to the Moirae base," he explained. "It never appears in the same place twice. My current theory is that it's not properly anchored to this dimension."

"They're from another dimesion?" Ceres asked in astonishment.

He nodded. "Something like that."

Before they could ask him how he had come by this vital piece of information, he turned with a swoosh of his cape and took flight again. "Adieu!" he called over his shoulder.

A glint of gold near his throat caught Ceres's eye as he soared away from them. She squinted hard for a few seconds, then beckoned the others and pointed at his receding figure. "Do you see that around his neck?" she asked.

"See what?" said Vesta.

Pallas gaped. "No way! That looks like…"

"Sure does," Juno agreed.

Vesta frowned, then shrugged. "I still don't see anything."

"But why would he have it?" Juno wondered.

"Have what?" Sailor Moon murmured dreamily. She too was gazing after Pegasus Kamen, who was out of sight by now, but she hadn't been listening much to the other senshi's conversation.

"The Golden Crystal," said Ceres, slightly vexed at the princess's inattentiveness.

That was enough to snap Sailor Moon out of her daydream. "Impossible," she declared. "We know for a fact that the Moirae stole my father's crystal, so how could Pegasus Kamen have it?"

There was a pregnant pause.

"Not again, you guys!" Sailor Moon huffed when she deciphered the look Ceres, Pallas, and Juno were giving her. "What will it take to convince you he's not our enemy?"

"If he has the crystal…" Pallas said slowly.

Sailor Moon tossed her head in stubborn defiance. "I can't believe it. Not after everything he's done for us."

"It could have been a trick of the light," Vesta speculated.

"Bet you wouldn't think that if you'd actually seen it," said Juno.

"Well, it _was_ pretty far away."

Moon seized on that. "Yeah! It could just be another necklace that kind of looks like the Golden Crystal!"

Ceres shook her head. "I know what I saw."

"There's no proof," Moon insisted, and her friends could see there was no reasoning with her. There was no time to continue the discussion anyway, because people were starting to wake up. Rather than risk another public disturbance, the senshi stole away before anyone could notice them.

* * *

Calomel had always been better with portals than her brother or sister. It provided her some small comfort now: she could teleport straight into her quarters, without the possibility of having to speak to anyone or show her face around the Moirae fortress. She flung herself straight onto her bed and sobbed in rage and frustration and belated grief. She wasn't sure how long she lay there, but eventually she cried herself to sleep. The next thing she knew, she was awakened by a heavy knock at the door.

In the haze of half-consciousness, her first thought was that it might be Ripidolite come to scold her for her latest failure. Then she remembered, and the tears threatened to spill over once more.

Ripidolite wouldn't have knocked, anyhow.

She considered not answering the door, pretending to be asleep, perhaps. On second thought, she found that after a few hours alone with her thoughts, she was getting lonely. She preferred company in her misery, unlike…

"Pyrolusite?"

Calomel couldn't hide her surprise at the face that greeted her on the other side of the door. Even if they'd been working together lately, it wasn't like him to pay a sympathy visit. He must be here on business. Or to mock her. Before she could think about it too much, she found herself stepping aside to let him in.

He nudged the door shut behind him. She sat on the edge of the bed, shifting her weight restlessly. An uneasy silence settled between them. He cleared his throat.

"You've been crying," he observed.

She nodded. What did he expect?

He didn't quite look at her. "Don't let your emotions become a stumbling block," he said. "You have to learn to feel your sorrow without being crushed by it."

She said nothing in reply, and he suddenly regretted coming. In fact, he wasn't quite sure why he had come. It certainly wasn't to give her advice. This whole mess with Ripidolite had set his head spinning, and when he couldn't think anymore, he had instinctively sought companionship, if only to fill the void in his head with noise. How very Calomel-like of him.

Shaking his head, he tried to make them focus on something productive. "Did you learn anything from observing the senshi? What order they appeared in, which ones were together, any particular quirks that might hint at their identities?"

"No," she said dejectedly. "They all showed up at once, out of nowhere. That guy in the white tux was there too. He broke your gun. I didn't have time to make a good plan, and they cornered me, and I ran away like a coward!"

He frowned and started pacing the floor. She switched off her eye so she wouldn't have to watch him, but the sound of his boots still made her twitch. "All at once? I wonder if they were expecting us."

"I don't think so. They were mixed up in something else. The princess was there at the show, and—"

He stopped short. "You neglected to mention that detail."

"Oh. Well, she was. I guess that's probably why all the senshi were there."

"You think?" he said acidly.

She ignored him. "Anyway, from what I overheard some of her friends got in a fight with some guy in the audience or something. And the cops showed up, and I think they tried to arrest her."

"The princess, or her friend?"

"Both! The princess did something that got a bunch of people mad at her. Probably because they're all a bunch of anti-royalist morons." Calomel wrinkled her nose to show exactly what she thought of that. "Then her friend kicked one of the cops in the crotch and started a brawl, and the next thing I knew there were senshi transforming in the next row! But—oh yeah!" She clapped a hand to her cheek. "I almost forgot. When things got rough, Sailor Moon's senshi protected her instead of the princess. I think they're planning a coup."

"You almost forgot?" he repeated in disbelief. "How could you forget that? This is huge! I knew Sailor Moon was rotten, but if her whole team is plotting something like this…"

Calomel cringed. "Sorry."

He gave her a puzzled look. "Why are you apologizing?"

"Because you keep yelling at me!"

"Huh? No I'm not." He paused and replayed the whole conversation in his head a couple times. Sensitive as she was, maybe he had sounded harsh. "That is—I'm not mad at you, all right? We're getting some valuable data here. Do you remember anything else?"

Calomel thought hard. "Umm. Saturn wasn't there."

"Interesting." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Another piece to the puzzle. I'll build a few more robots, and we can repeat the study. See what we can accomplish if you learn to step back from your feelings for a few minutes?"

Calomel dug her nails into the side of her mattress. "Do you know why I only let you replace one eye?"

"You were afraid I'd botch the operation."

"No. It was so I could still cry."

That tears might be considered a function worth preserving was a new idea to him, and he pondered it for a while. "One eye for seeing, one eye for crying," he said at length. "Well. You always did cry enough for both of us."

When she didn't answer, he turned to leave, but her voice stopped him at the door. "Onii-kun."

He looked back, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm leaving," she announced. She paused, waiting for him to react. When he didn't, she went on in a hurry, "I can't face Mother after this. Please, tell her I'm sorry. "

He crossed the room in two long strides and caught her by the shoulders. "Stop talking like that. There's no need to do anything reckless."

"I've thought it through." She saw that he didn't believe her, and part of her knew she was just running away, but she sought to justify herself anyway. "I won't go crazy like Ripidolite! I just need to get out of here for a little bit. You can come along if you like." _Please say you'll come along._

"I am not going AWOL with you," he said impatiently. "Whatever you need to figure out, you can do it here."

She shook her head. "Not until I've got something real to show for it. I'm sick of being a failure. Mother's disappointed looks, and that goody two-shoes Hypnos always showing us up in front of Moros…"

"Hypnos and his pal lost the Golden Crystal," Pyrolusite reminded her. "I doubt any amount of intelligence they've managed to gather since then has made up for that epic failure. Besides, it's not a competition. Quit taking everything so personally."

"You're the one who's always pushing for tangible results."

"Information is a tangible result. Sort of." He waved his hand dismissively. "Have a little patience for once. You can't bail on me now."

"Can too." She wrapped herself in a portal and vanished, leaving him grasping at the air.

* * *

Monday brought a beautiful, sunny summer morning. The air was fresh, birds were singing in the trees, and the district was finally starting to look habitable again. In places, the crystal structures had taken on a distinctive yellow, red, green, or blue cast, hallmarks of the queen's senshi who had leant their respective powers to speed the regeneration. Seresu noticed a few spots of purple, too, and smiled. Saturn was back.

She turned to Usagi and Atena, who were walking part of the way to school with her. "It sounds like we're safe, then?"

Usagi nodded. "The shock of being released from mind control gave everyone short-term amnesia. Even if some of them remember eventually, I doubt they'll be able to put a name to your faces."

Seresu agreed. "They'll probably just write it off as an hallucination."

"Lucky us," said Atena.

They reached the intersection where their paths diverged, and Seresu bid her friends goodbye before heading up the hill toward Mugen. Before she left them, she reached into her bag and pulled out a small spray of flowers.

"Usagi-chan, this is for you. Mistletoe, which means overcoming adversity, and azalea, the Chinese symbol of womanhood. It also has another meaning: 'take care of yourself for me.'"

Smiling, Usagi pinned them to the front of her blouse, just above her brooch. "Thanks, Seresu-chan."

Seresu waved and was about to depart, when for some reason a group of four students across the street caught her eye. Usagi and Atena seemed to sense something about them too, because they both turned to stare at them. At the front of the pack was a proud-looking girl with perfectly bronzed skin and honey blond hair, marching ahead at a brisk pace and ignoring everything around her, including her companions. At her side, taking two strides to her one, was a very short girl with a thick, charcoal colored braid. She too was withdrawn from her surroundings, walking in prim silence with her hands folded over her skirt, but in her case the aloofness seemed to stem from a prey-animal sort of desire to avoid being noticed. A girl with fluffy white hair and a crooked grin was just behind them, chattering incessantly. Unlike the others, she took in the scenery of their morning walk with wide eyes, jostled her friends, and seemed determined to be in a good mood even when they rolled their eyes at her. Bringing up the rear was the tallest and prettiest of the bunch, a girl with a figure like a model, striking gray eyes, and a waterfall of vibrant aquamarine hair. But her dour expression spoiled the picture, as if nothing in the world was good enough for her; she seemed as intent on being gloomy as her gregarious companion was on being happy. There was nothing overtly remarkable about the group, and yet the three senshi found their attention instinctively drawn to them.

"Huh," Usagi murmured. "I sense a strange aura…"


End file.
